When I started trying to cover the Boston Celtics — if that’s even what it is I do — I did so with an unshakeable belief that I could overcome every obstacle in my way.

Nothing knocked me off course.

An ocean? Cool, I’ll get a plane. Time difference? I’ll turn it to my advantage. Lack of ‘sources’ or in-person access? I’m sure I can find an angle.

Whatever got thrown at me, I batted away.

A core belief I’ve always had is that when people point out flaws in your plans to reach a goal, it’s not that they’re being dismissive or even pessimistic; it’s that they’re projecting their own limitations onto you.

I knew what I wanted, and I went for it.

Then, life changed.

I’ve been incredibly open about the loss of my nan and the impact it had on me. Honestly, I’m more open with all of you than I am with those around me. I guess it’s easier putting it into words here than it is verbalizing it. I’m working on that.

For the first 32/33 years of my life, I operated with an unshakable self-belief. I threw myself into new ideas, goals, targets. My ADHD always ensured I could hyperfocus so long as that ‘something new’ held my interest.

Basketball has always held my interest. Every single day for more than 20 years. It’s a constant.

Anyway…

That night, on August 28, 2021, it stole that self-belief from me. It stole one of the very things that had been foundational to how I attacked life.

I resented that for a long time. In truth, you could see it in how I began interacting with people online.

Interestingly, it was a recent conversation with my wife that gave me a new perspective, because no, that unshakable belief has not returned.

If you’ve followed me, or read my stuff for a while, then you know I was a young-ish parent. My wife had our daughter like two weeks after she turned 21 — I had recently turned 23.

We had no education to speak of. No ‘skills.’ Over the last 10 years, we’ve built from the ground up. We went back to University, doing part-time degrees (which I pivoted from Computer Science to English and had to restart) while holding down a full-time job each and raising our daughter.

After graduating, my wife went back to University again to do her Master’s degree. Then again to become a teacher (so many hoops over here to qualify for that job!). This past year was her first time having her own class.

On the final day of the school year, I asked her what her favorite part of the job has been this year. Her response stuck with me.

“That I matter. I matter to the kids in my class, and to their parents.”

I sat with that for a moment.

‘Does what I do matter?’

I’ve always known I’m not changing the world. I write about basketball. Most of the time I’m aggregating news for my freelance gigs.

But does it matter?

I struggled with that for longer than I’d like to admit. And then, I asked myself: is mattering important to me? Or does what I do need to matter to me?

Turns out, the latter is true.

And if I’m honest, basketball matters to me a lot. The Boston Celtics matter to me a lot — they’re an enormous part of my life. So, if basketball and the Celtics matter to me, they likely matter to others, too. And who knows, maybe my work matters to them.

Maybe not.

That’s out of my control.

What is in my control, though, is making sure that I spend my non-freelance time building what matters to me.

What matters to me is twofold…

First and foremost, it’s doing this independently. Not as a side-gig. Not as something I do when I carve open an hour or two here or there.

Full time.

Independently.

That’s the goal. It’s been the goal. It will always be the goal.

The second is building a community. Finding people who love this team as much as I do, and, of course, who enjoy the work I do. That’s why this newsletter has been such a head f—k.

You see, when you’re trying to do this from thousands of miles away, social media plays a vital role. Having a presence is essential to success, even more so than those within the local market.

Truth is, I need social media, but with the caveat that I need it to continue finding future members of this community, both here and on YouTube.

That’s where some of the tension has been residing. When I joined Substack, it was a newsletter platform. Now, it’s a social media platform.

I have enough social media. I don’t need another.

If I’m going to find that unshakable self-belief again, then I have to find what matters to me. I have to approach everything through that lens.

Because when you align your goals with your beliefs, you can’t help but be unshakeable.

And that leads us to some minor changes.

For those of you who were subscribed to this newsletter last summer, you’ll probably remember the failed attempt to migrate to Ghost.

In truth, I never fully understood why I jumped ship.

Now, I do.

The subconscious sometimes pushes you toward things before you’ve had time to understand why.

Anyway, that migration was a clusterf—k.

I leaped into it with very little understanding of what I was opening myself up for. And, as many of you know, I was back on Substack with my tail between my legs about 6 weeks later.

What I never revealed is that over the past year, I continued to build a fully functioning Ghost site. I fixed a lot of the issues. I spent time building out the interface to look how I wanted it.

I’m stubborn that way.

Some of it was my own coding, some of it was AI — you know, work smarter, not harder.

As we got near the trade deadline, I sort of drifted away from working on that little side project. Substack was doing what I needed, and I’d just become a ‘bestseller.’

— That, right there. A ‘bestseller.’

— A vanity metric.

After that conversation with my wife, and the sort-of soul searching that followed, I realized two things:

1. The social media-ifcation of Substack had led the whole experience to stop mattering to me.

2. I was spending far too much time trying to do what I had seen others do to be successful. I wasn’t being 100% me.

I’m a huge fan of Jonathan Macri over at Knicks Film School and Marc Stein from the Stein Line. I’ve watched, from afar, as Jon’s built an outstanding platform that continues to skyrocket. And with awe at how Marc continues to be the epitome of excellence within this field.

Naturally, I’ve tried to take what I can from watching how they’ve done things.

However, what I did was try to copy their approach rather than adapt it.

Why? Because when the platform you're on is pushing AI slop and vanity metrics at you every single day, you start doing what you think you need to do in order to succeed.

But what is success if what you’re doing isn’t authentically you?

Somewhere between launching this newsletter and working to build it, I lost sight of the plan. I wanted more subscribers, faster. But what good is a big subscriber list if I’m not fostering a community that brings everyone together?

This is all a journey.

For me, that journey needs to take a new approach, and that starts with leaving Substack and returning to Ghost.

Why?

Because if I want this to work — not just the newsletter — but this push for independent coverage of the Celtics, then every detail of how I do things has to matter to me.

Limiting my social media channels matters to me. I’d rather go deep on two platforms than be shallow on a bunch of them. And, as I’ve noted, Substack, at this point, is a social media channel, and not one I have a great deal of time for.

Controlling how my stuff looks, from the sign-up page to the front cover of the site, and even the finer details of how the newsletter looks, matters to me. Having SEO control that brings Celtics fans to me, rather than me going to them, matters to me.

To me, that’s the other part of being fully independent: having total control, not just of the site, but also of the direction I take things, and the people I share a space with. Substack is no longer a shared corner of the internet; it’s a hostel where there are 10 to a room.

With that in mind, this will be the last newsletter to be sent out via Substack (all being well).

What does this mean for you?

To be honest? Not much.

If you’re a paid subscriber, your payments stay the same.

Everyone on the email list will still receive every newsletter I send (although you may want to check your junk folders for the next week or two — just in case)

A major change will be that you’ll need to log in to the new site once it’s live, so that you can leave comments. That’s literally the biggest issue you should run into. And you will receive an email from me once the site is up and running in the next few days.

The only other big roadblock will be that Ghost doesn’t have a built-in chat function like Substack does. Last year, I began building around that with a Discord channel, which is still live. I implore you to sign up. It’s free. It’s active. And it’s real-time discussions!

Join the Discord Here

If you’re only here for the update, you’re good now

A long-standing character flaw of mine has always been that I jump into things without thinking them through first.

I act before I think.

Sometimes, that’s a great trait to have, but on the majority of occasions, it leads to mistakes.

I’m aware of that personality trait/flaw, and because of that, I’ve weighed this decision up over multiple weeks. I’ve spoken with my wife, who is my rock and always engages with these conversations, despite it having no impact on her life in any way.

While my wife agreed that Ghost is the better bet for me, she did challenge me with one key question before ultimately sharing her thoughts: Why can’t you just use Substack and avoid the parts that you don’t like?

It’s a fair question, and one I assume some of you would probably have, too.

The answer is that if I’m having to mindfully ignore aspects of a site, then it’s not the site I’m supposed to be on.

If I truly want this to matter, then I need full focus. I can’t have full focus when I’m like, ‘let’s avoid the notes tab’ or ‘wow, there’s so much AI in my recommended reading today.’

There’s also the truth that I’ll probably run into issues with the new site that I couldn’t plan for in a test environment. I’m expecting and ready for that.

My reasoning may or may not make sense to you.

For me, though, it’s provided clarity.

And it’s that clarity that I hope leads to the goal of full-time independence at some point.

I welcome any and all feedback/ideas/comments

Leave a comment

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“Jaylen Brown, the moment he got traded to the Sixers from Boston a couple of days into free agency, the Sixers came onto LeBron James’ radar,” Shams said on a recent episode of SportsCenter. “Now they have landed LeBron James on a two-year minimum contract to try to win a championship in the East.”

It feels like, from the moment that trade was finalized, we’ve looked at everything about it through a negative lens. I get it. What we expected as a return for Brown, and what Boston actually received, were miles apart.

The fact that Brown went to a conference rival that eliminated the Boston Celtics just weeks earlier stung. It stung bad. Now, knowing that helped the Sixers form a superteam, that wound has been opened up even more.

Sooner or later, though, we’ve got to look ahead and get behind the roster the Celtics will take into the new season.

For that reason, we’re starting off this week by looking at the quote-unquote winners of the Brown trade — the guys who project to receive bigger roles or enjoy a bump in playing time.

Payton Pritchard

Payton Pritchard saw his touches and usage take a leap last season as he stepped into a larger role with Jayson Tatum on the sidelines. The return was encouraging. Despite facing off against starting-level defenses for more than half the season, and seeing his overall attempts jump by roughly three per night, Pritchard’s efficiency held pretty steady.

His three-point percentage dropped to 37.7%, down from 40.7% the previous year, when he only started three games. His two-point percentage dropped by roughly nine percentage points, down from 64.2% to 56.1%.

When you ramp up a player's touches, alter their role so shots come in new ways and from new spots on the floor, add more playmaking to their workload, and ramp their minutes to career-high levels, a dip in efficiency is to be expected. The fact that the dip was so minuscule should be encouraging heading into the new season.

After all, Pritchard will now be operating in a rotation that has Tatum’s gravity and passing back. He’s going to get easier looks. His playmaking load might shade down a touch, and his catch-and-shoot attempts will likely increase.

Do I think the talk about Pritchard becoming Boston’s version of Jalen Brunson is warranted? Probably not. Brunson is who Brunson is for a reason.

However, I think that in a Tatum-centric offense, with less iso ball and a smaller focus on attacking the mid-range, defenses are going to be spaced out more, and that’s where Pritchard can cook. His speed will allow him to penetrate on drives, his interior scoring will generate kick-out opportunities, and his serious three-ball threat will force teams to adjust their pick-up points.

I can see Pritchard eating some of the shots that have been vacated by Brown’s departure, along with a sliver of the touches, too — he was already third in touches per game last season, with 68.9. Maybe that edges closer to the 70 mark this year.

At the top end of the roster, excluding Tatum, of course, I think Pritchard is the player who gets the biggest jump in role following Brown’s exit.

The Young Wings

Hugo Gonzalez

Last season, Brown spent 64% of his minutes playing at the three. George will undoubtedly fill that void when healthy. However, I’m expecting Boston to manage George’s minutes closely, likely holding him out on back-to-backs, and potentially holding him to a strict minutes restriction through the season.

Given what we saw from Hugo during Summer League, it’s fair to assume Boston is slowly exploring his potential as an on-ball creator. While I don’t expect to see Hugo be force-fed some on-ball creation reps this season, I do think that his development is trending in that direction.

With Brown no longer on the roster, Hugo could see his minutes jump when George is off the floor or out of the rotation. For now, Hugo’s role will likely remain the same: hustle, play solid defense and continue developing his shot off the catch. The potential for extra playing time will only help expedite those developments.

Still, Brown’s departure will undoubtedly cause somewhat of a vacuum, and given how highly the front office appears to rate Hugo, it’s logical to expect him to be put in a position to soak up some of the minutes and second-unit touches that Brown leaves behind.

Jordan Walsh

Much for the same reasons as Hugo. Walsh is fresh off signing a three-year $15 million contract extension to remain with the Celtics.

While I don’t see Walsh being given as much rope as Hugo, primarily due to Hugo projecting to have a higher ceiling, I still think Walsh will get a noticeable bump in minutes.

If Walsh has worked on his perimeter shooting, or even his control when getting downhill, then perhaps his usage will experience a slight uptick when he’s on the court. But, for the most part, I’d expect to see Walsh playing a similar role to last season, just with some additional on-court frequency.

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Baylor Scheierman

In terms of secondary creation load, I think Scheierman is going to be the guy to fill the gap in the upcoming season. When Tatum and Brown were both healthy, Tatum would often have his minutes staggered, allowing him to lead the second unit.

With Tatum now the clear-cut spearhead, Boston will need multiple guys to step up when Tatum sits, and the bench rotation is tasked with keeping things honest. Sure, when George is healthy, he’ll likely lead the second unit…But in those stretches where he isn’t on the floor, or is watching in street clothes, Boston will need guys to stand tall.

Mike Conley will undoubtedly have a role to play as far as half-court creation is concerned. Nevertheless, Scheierman has the skill set, the passing ability and the self-creation to step up as a secondary or tertiary creator for bursts throughout a game.

Out of all of Boston’s young wings, Scheierman is the guy I feel like has the most polish on-ball. He looks confident and has shown flashes of being able to run the PnR. Whether he can find cutters on the move or create high-level passing angles will be something we’ll have to learn on the fly. Still, between him and Hugo, when the need arises, the Celtics should feel confident that they have two guys who can absorb touches with a level of regularity.

Derrick White

When I think of Derrick White’s role in the post-Jaylen Brown Celtics, I keep coming back to this comment from Brian Windhorst.

“They’re not arguing who’s the better player tonight or even in this playoff series,” Windhorst said during a recent episode of the ‘Shump Street Podcast.’ “When they say value, they’re looking at what a player’s production is versus how much he costs. The Celtics were a better team this year with Derrick White on the court versus Jaylen Brown…You can debate that and say that that’s just not true. And I’m not defending their side. I’m not trying to say I agree. The numbers that they have say that when Derrick White played, and Jaylen Brown played, they were better with Derrick White; that Derrick White defensively had an elite season. He was first-team all-defense, and that he cost $20 million less! So the word value means a different thing to your average fan.”

Last season, White put up a team-high 77.8 touches per game. With Tatum back and George hopefully healthy, White’s touches should regress to the mean. As such, his shot diet should also go back to normal, meaning more attempts off the catch, less off the bounce, and a weaker defensive presence due to the gravity around him.

Assuming all of this is somewhat true, White should be primed for a bounce-back season. If so, expect to be having discussions surrounding his All-Star candidacy in January and early February.

Without Brown, White will likely be tasked with being Boston’s secondary creator and, at times, scoring threat. George’s presence means that White isn’t stepping into a second-option role. He will, however, straddle that line, oftentimes sliding into the usage rate befitting such a role.

For all of Brown’s flaws as a playmaker, he reliably ate touches, especially last season. Ensuring the ball finds its way into more playmaking hands now that Brown is no longer on the roster will be key. Fortunately, a lot of the Celtics' top players are capable of self-creation and creation for others.

I also think George’s passing will be better than expected, but that’s neither here nor there.

Wrapping it up

I’ve purposely omitted including Tatum in this list. I’m choosing to look forward, and calling Tatum a clear-cut winner — while true — is feeding into the discourse that’s currently dominating the Celtics social media spaces.

Overall, though, Brown’s departure will mean wider roles for multiple guys. If they can make the most of those roles, then Boston will be well positioned to continue moving forward and developing from within.

Losing Brown undoubtedly hurt. However, with the move confirmed, it’s time we start looking ahead. That’s exactly what I’ve tried to do today. There are lots of reasons to be excited for the next few years.

Before we get there, though, it’s time to start taking stock of Boston’s Summer League roster. For me, the ideal place to start is by looking at some of the lessons we learned over a five-game sample size in Sin City.

The Celtics Envision Hugo As A Do-It-All Forward

Summer League goals are different for everyone. For some, it’s a chance to put themselves in front of decision-makers from around the league. For others, it’s an on-ramp toward the NBA. Yet, for players already experienced at the NBA level, it’s an opportunity to work on their game in a high-intensity environment against players who are giving it everything they've got.

Hugo Gonzalez falls into that third category. He’s already got 74 games of NBA experience under his belt. He’s been part of a professional basketball setup for multiple years. Furthermore, he flew into Las Vegas fresh off representing Spain at an international tournament.

There’s not much Hugo was going to learn simply by showing up and going through the motions.

Instead, the Celtics forced him into an uncomfortable situation.

Hugo found himself dictating the offense, creating out of the pick-and-roll, pressuring the rim on downhill drives and being a focal point on defense. Oh, and that’s before the different types of shots that came his way throughout the course of the tournament.

As a rookie in the NBA, Hugo had none of that responsibility. Last season, his remit was clear: play hard defense, be disruptive, crash the offensive glass and take open threes when they come your way.

I’d assume his role with Real Madrid before jumping to the NBA was similar, too. I also doubt there’s much variance when he’s wearing a Spain jersey, either.

Yet, in Summer League, Hugo got a chance to work through the pitfalls that come with sliding into such a wide-ranging role. His shot was the biggest loser, sitting at 31.8% from the field on 14-of-44 shooting, and 25.9% from deep on 7-of-27. He also struggled with turnovers, giving the ball away 11 times over 5 games.

Teething issues.

Hugo certainly got more out of those five games than his scoring or turnover numbers suggest. He got reps as a focal point. There were opportunities to develop his handle, his processing of the game, and his understanding of how to bend defenses, along with initiating scoring opportunities within a two-man game.

Most importantly, though, he got an understanding of what it takes to be the guy.

Obviously, there’s a huge jump from being a focal point in Summer League and a reliable multi-level contributor in the NBA.

Foundations have to be built somewhere.

I’m not expecting Hugo to suddenly take on a huge role within Joe Mazzulla’s rotation this season.

However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see his on-ball development continue in short spurts throughout the year, especially if he’s going to be playing in a lot of non-Jayson Tatum minutes.

For now, though, Hugo’s calling card will remain his defensive versatility.

“He’s a pro…You saw us last season put him on teams’ five, play him one through five, just whoever the best player is, because he can not only be physical, but he's very mobile,” Amile Jefferson said of Hugo on Saturday. “He can move. He plays with such high energy and intensity that, for a coach, I think it's really helpful to have a guy like that.”

Based on what we saw at Summer League, where he registered 24 rebounds and 17 assists, the long-term vision for Hugo is starting to come into focus. He’s going to need time, reps and patience; however, it was fun seeing him learning on the fly while also getting a sense of what could be yet to come.

The Celtics Are About To Get A LOT More Bouncy

If there’s one thing Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell have in common, it’s that they’re elite athletes. Both can jump out of the gym, both can defend the rim as roamers or helpers, and both are lob threats when cutting (or rolling) toward the rim.

Boston needed a jolt of explosiveness on the roster, and Brad Stevens found two guys to help plug that gap.

Will we see either of Cenac or Mitchell take on sizeable roles in the rotation this season? Probably not. Cenac is more likely to enjoy some form of consistent playing time, as he’s on a standard NBA contract. Yet, the reality is that both Cenac and Mitchell (assuming he gets a two-way contract) will spend a large portion of their rookie seasons with the Maine Celtics.

Nevertheless, when they get on the floor, we know that Boston will look more explosive on both ends. If the Celtics are edging toward a faster-paced offense, having high-level athletes is a non-negotiable. You need the rim pressure and vertical spacing they can provide.

I think that’s why Mitchell is so enticing, too, because we all saw how eager he is to leak out in transition following a defensive rebound. Now imagine it’s Tatum running the offense and finding Mitchell or Cenac on the break.

Jordan Walsh is another wing that boasts solid athleticism. If he can take a leap, both as a perimeter-based scorer and as a slasher, the Celtics will have more than enough bounce to attack downhill on nights where Boston’s three-point offense is operating in sub-zero temperatures. Oh, and that’s before we discuss the addition of Mitchell Robinson.

Milos Uzan Could Be Found Money

I’m higher on Milos Uzan than most, it would seem.

I like how he’s entering the NBA after sacrificing some of his game with the Houston Cougars. I like his size (6’4’’), and I really like that he can impact the game as a passer, scorer, creator and rebounder.

Uzan ended Summer League with a total of 46 points, 21 rebounds, 20 assists and 1 block. He turned the rock over 7 times, which for someone with his level of touches, in a scrappy environment, is solid.

I think Uzan also showcased some translatable skills. He plays with effort, he navigates screens well, the shot isn’t forced, and the cycling of speed allows him to adjust to how defenses are guarding him.

Right now, Uzan is on an exhibit-10 deal. He must build on his showing in Las Vegas once the Celtics’ training camp gets underway later this summer.

If he can hang in Boston’s pre-season preparations, where the competition is higher and the expectations rise, then there’s a chance he could be the latest undrafted talent to land in Maine’s developmental system and potentially begin working toward a spot within Mazzulla’s rotation.

Of course, Uzan faces a tough task: he will likely have to beat John Tonje to a two-way contract.

My Thoughts On John Tonje

The problem Uzan will face is that Tonje is further along in his development. He’s already proven at the G-League level and has nibbled at the NBA apple.

Yet, Tonje’s game feels more limited. He’s a scorer, plain and simple.

Outside of Hugo, I doubt anyone on the Sin City Celtics roster had more touches and a higher usage than Tonje. He repaid that trust with a team-leading 74 points over five games, on a highly efficient 51% shooting and a 45.2% three-point conversion rate.

Yet, Tonje only dished out 5 assists. He had 11 turnovers. And he fell short of Uzan in the rebounding department, too (17 vs. Uzan’s 21).

Look, I’m the first one to push back when I see box score numbers being used to discuss a player's impact and/or upside. Yet, in this instance — with a limited sample size, no game tracking, and a tournament that doesn’t translate to NBA success, along with knowing that Tonje is a scorer and Uzan is a more well-rounded guard — the box score numbers serve a purpose.

Let’s assume Tonje beats out Uzan for a two-way spot. On the occasions he earns minutes for Mazzulla, what is his role going to be? I’d hazard a guess that he’ll be a spot-up shooter, spacing the floor, cold, out of rhythm and tasked with hitting his shots at a respectable clip.

There’s nothing wrong with that.

However, the Celtics already have guys who can play that role. Sam Hauser is one of the best spot-up and movement shooters in the league. Derrick White could have a bounce-back season as a shooting threat. Payton Pritchard can get it done in countless ways.

The list goes on.

Tonje would get lost in the shuffle. His skill set is one Boston has in abundance across multiple positions. What happens when Tonje has a bad shooting night? I doubt Mazzulla would keep him on the floor, not when his impact projects to come as a microwave scorer deep off the bench.

That’s Why I Think Uzan Could Beat Out Tonje

Because if Uzan is given an opportunity, and his shot isn’t falling, he’s still going to make an impact in other ways. You can lean on him as a tertiary creator, a slasher, a rebounder or a chaser on defense.

One takeaway I had from the whole Jaylen Brown saga was that Stevens wants the Celtics to become a more egalitarian offense. That means leaning into more guys doing more things, while touches and usage rate flatten (outside of Tatum) across the board. Uzan’s versatility fits into that potential blueprint.

One thing I will give to Tonje, though, and it could be a potential swing factor, is that right now, he’s a better defender.

“Everyone wanted to see the defense from John, and I think he showed that at a super high level,” Jefferson said. “I’ve talked the entire week about how proud I am with the effort he’s given, and most of that has come defensively. Obviously, he is a high-level shot maker at all three levels…and so you just want to see for his position: can you guard the ball? Can you pressure the ball? Be at your shifts? Can you be where you need to be? And I think he showed that at a high level.”

Fortunately for Uzan, he’s coming out of a collegiate system where he’s used to being coached hard and having high expectations placed on his shoulders. At his size, with his speed, there’s every reason to believe he could become a reliable perimeter defender in the next few years.

The potential training camp battle between Tonje and Uzan is something I’m expecting to revisit later this summer. However, based on what we saw at Summer League, I’ll be coming into training camp and preseason higher on Uzan than I am on Tonje.

I know I’m in the minority there, though.

Still to come: Tomorrow, I’ll continue my thoughts on the lessons we learned from Summer League — focusing on Amari Williams, Tucker DeVries (DeThrees) and Caleb Grill. Subscribe today to make sure it lands in your inbox.

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Later this week, I’d also like to get a mailbag on the books. It’s been a minute since we did one of those. Please use the comments section to get your questions in.

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I’m pushing for 2,000 subscribers by opening night. If today's breakdown earned it, you know what to do…

Look at Baylor Scheierman’s struggles in Summer League last year. Coming in as a second-year player, he was expected to dominate for Boston. Instead, he struggled to hit the backside of a barn and was overall a net-neutral at best.

People were writing him off before the season had even begun.

How did that turn out?

Well, I think part of the reason so many Celtics fans are ok with the idea of trading Sam Hauser — one of the best sharpshooters in the NBA — is the emergence of Scheierman. Not only did he shoot 39.9% from deep last season, but he also flashed legitimate upside as an on-ball creator and thrived as both an isolation and team defender.

Yet, if you had asked us what to expect from Scheierman in the gap between Summer League and the start of the new season, the answer you received would have been miles away from what we actually saw.

There’s a good reason why Summer League is an imperfect indicator of future success at the NBA level, too: it’s a developmental tournament, where players are being tasked with a range of different roles and/or goals.

There’s a reason why those who dominate get shut down early — because when you’re dominating, you’re not learning much — instead, you’re reinforcing a skill set that’s already second nature.

That leads us to this year’s Sin City Celtics.

Look at this quote from Chris Cenac following Boston’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.

“That’s something that they’ve been preaching to me since I’ve gotten here that I need to do,” rookie Cenac said when asked about recording 9 blocks in 3 Summer League games. “And I’m a player that’s going to do whatever it takes, whatever the organization needs me to do, so that’s something I’m emphasizing in my game while I’m on the court.”

It would have been easy for Cenac to come into Summer League and lean on his athleticism and mid-range game. Where would be the benefit in that, though?

The whole point is to work on your game, develop aspects that will translate to the role you’ll be asked to fill, and then, over multiple years, begin rounding out to become a more complete player.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you ignore your strengths. Just last night, we saw Cenac hit this nice jumper from the nail.

For Cenac, the growth will come in continuing to get reps at the rim, where he’s looked shaky. By developing his timing when rotating over to help, working on his perimeter shooting and improving his overall screening ability to create additional space for the ball-handler.

When watching through his Summer League tape so far, you can see those are all areas he’s being asked to work on, along with some delay actions due to their importance to Boston’s overall system.

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From there, you can sprinkle in his off-the-dribble game, his downhill drives and his vertical spacing.

You work on multiple aspects at once, allowing for continued growth while ensuring the defenses you’re facing can’t hone in on any one specific thing.

The same can be said for Hugo Gonzalez.

Sure, his shooting hasn’t been there, but that is in part due to the role he’s being asked to play.

Ask yourself, has Hugo ever had this level of usage rate? Touches? Defensive attention?

The context of the role he’s being asked to fill, and the long-term development these reps will help create, are both key when dissecting his production so far.

Even when he was with Real Madrid, I doubt Hugo was tasked with running the pick-and-roll as a ball-handler or creating for himself off the bounce. The reason it’s looked clunky is that that’s what progression looks like.

If he were already smooth in those aspects of his game, we wouldn’t be seeing such a focus placed on those reps.

There have been some bright spots, though. Take this pick-and-roll action from Hugo against Charlotte. He runs the action along with Dillon Mitchell — who has also been impressive and is clearly working on his perimeter game — drives the lane as he comes off the screen, draws two near the baseline and then hits the nifty wrap-around pass for Mitchell to sink the easy bucket.

With such a wide-ranging role, it makes sense that Hugo’s shot is struggling. We saw Derrick White navigate similar struggles last season.

Shots come from different places, in different ways and against different levels of defensive attention. It takes thousands of reps for those things to become comfortable.

You’ve got to trust the development plan the coaching staff has in place.

There’s also the flip side of all this.

Summer League is also about learning what you can’t do.

We discuss skill sets for a reason. Milos Uzan has looked great as a speedy playmaking guard. However, he doesn’t have the size to be a reliable switch defender on the perimeter. So, the Celtics will likely test him out there in Summer League, not necessarily to develop that aspect of his game, but to gauge his limitations within that role.

Everything is about collecting and measuring the data that these reps provide.

So, even when the Celtics stink the place up, like they did last night in the second quarter, there’s an upside from a ‘big picture’ perspective.

Summer League is great. It’s a ton of fun and an awesome way to break up the lengthy offseason. However, it is not an evaluative space for those outside of an organization.

Instead, it’s a developmental tournament that often generates unfair hype or negativity for a string of young or unproven talents who are either taking their first steps into the professional game or looking to establish themselves with another contract.

Either way, I try not to put too much stock into the performance and instead take note of the roles guys are being placed in. There’s a lot more to learn that way, especially in terms of how a team views that player fitting into its system further down the line.

Yet, some 5,100 miles away, in a city close to my heart (I got married in Vegas) and built in a desert, hoopers are putting on a show. Last night, we got to see the 2026 Summer League Celtics in action for the first time.

We got to see Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell rocking Celtics green. We got to see Amari Williams and Hugo Gonzalez showcase their individual growth, and we got to see John Tonje prove why he’s so highly rated by both Maine and Boston.

I always enjoy Summer League. It’s a great chance to learn about your team’s new rookies, to see the growth of some developmental players, and to get hints about what the system for the upcoming season could look like.

Yet, what I enjoyed most this morning, when I sat down at my desk with a huge cup of coffee, was witnessing the two-man game between Hugo Gonzalez and Amari Williams.

Gonzalez and Williams are both entering their sophomore seasons in the NBA. While we saw more of Gonzalez than Williams last season, I’m excited about what both guys could potentially develop into. So, seeing them work in tandem and be borderline unstoppable as a duo at times, had me envisioning some potential crossover should they ever share the floor together with the main Celtics roster down the line.

You can never have too much two-man game chemistry on a roster. The more options you have to lean on throughout a 48-minute game, the less predictable you become.

I pulled a ton of clips over Gonzalez and Williams’ two-man play when watching yesterday’s game. So, let’s dive into some of what they showcased as the Celtics pulled out a gritty win in overtime.

The first glimpse we got of a two-man game came early in the 2nd quarter. Williams had battled on the offensive glass for a second offensive possession. Once he secured the rock, Williams cleared out of the paint and began searching the floor for passing options.

Williams then spots Gonzalez cutting from the wing. Williams stays patient and puts the ball firmly to Gonzalez’s chest, so the only thing Gonzalez has to focus on is finishing despite the defense.

We all know that Williams came into the NBA with his passing cited as one of his core skills. However, his patience and comfort on the ball were what really stood out against the Summer League Raptors, and this play was the first of many in which he showcased that poise.

Let’s skip ahead a little.

Here we have a variation of a Zoom action where, rather than having the hand-off guy be at the top of the perimeter (or close to it), the Celtics have positioned two screeners, with Amari Williams holding the rock on the weakside elbow.

The play began with Dillon Mitchell skipping the pass to Williams. A stagger screen then springs Gonzalez free from the corner. The stagger screen creates some much-needed separation for Gonzalez. His defender comes over the first screen and then goes under on the second.

Due to the separation Gonzalez created, when Williams hands off the rock, his defender is forced to stay with Gonzalez for a beat while Gonzalez’s man gets back into the play. That allowed Williams to roll into the paint unchecked.

Milos Uzan spacing at the top of the perimeter removed the high tagger, while Mitchell’s man was caught with some indecision regarding whether to slide over or stay home.

Credit to Gonzalez, he read the play perfectly, floating the ball toward the rim for Williams to finish with a soft touch on the lob.

It felt like every time Gonzalez and Williams combined on an action, good things were happening.

Just a minute or so later, the duo was back at it again. The Summer League Celtics flow into a Get action between Williams and Gonzalez. Once Gonazlez has the rock, Williams curls off the action and attacks the space left by Toronto keeping two on the ball for a beat too long.

Gonzalez does a great job of getting Williams the ball early, allowing him to read the help defense coming his way and adjust his body to get the finish.

So far, we’ve seen three plays, all of which feature a connection between Gonzalez and Williams.

Yet, the most important aspect of this is that they’re both reading the defense and dissecting what they’re given.

It was clear that Toronto wasn’t going to give Gonzalez space, so when his defender was caught up navigating screens, Williams was quick to get out of the action and into space.

When the defense opted to contain Gonzalez, his immediate thought was to find Williams on the move.

We often talk about read and react offenses. However, we rarely discuss the difficulty of doing so within the flow of a game. In Summer League, where everything is scrappy, and there’s often a legitimate experience gap among players, it’s usually easy to spot who has NBA, or at least some pro experience. Last night, Williams and Gonzalez showed why they both earned minutes in an NBA rotation under Joe Mazzulla last season.

Ok, back to the film.

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Does this play look similar?

It should do, because it has a ton of similarities to the clip we looked at first.

After grabbing another offensive rebound (Williams had 4 on the night), the English-born big man shakes his man, puts the ball on the floor and once again finds a cutting Gonzalez.

Just like the first play, the pass finds Gonzalez perfectly square, making the catch easy. Unfortunately for the Celtics, the Raptors manage to get a hand to his shot and deny him a bucket. However, the process was sound, and most importantly, it was repeatable.

If both Williams and Gonzalez keep getting minutes (meaning they don’t get shut down), we will probably see the duo looking for each other on actions like this a couple of times per game.

It goes both ways, too.

Look at the above clip. This time, it’s Gonzalez who finds a cutting Williams for the bucket. Gotta love some reciprocation, right?

The final play I want to look at is a little bit of a two-man game in the pick-and-roll. Gonzalez ran multiple PnR’s during the game; however, this is one of his more successful ventures.

The play once again starts with a Zoom action. Rather than handing the rock off to Chris Cenac Jr, Williams rejects the hand-off and then pitches it to Gonzalez, who had set the initial pin down.

Williams sets the screen for Gonzalez, who then gets straight downhill, occupying two defenders' attention. Therefore, Williams had a pocket to roll in, allowing Gonzalez to hit the wrap-around pass for another bucket from the big man.

You love to see it.

Another thing I loved was that both Gonzalez and Williams had success outside of the two-man game. They found multiple ways to impact the game — such as Williams working out of the delay and Gonazlez being a defensive lynchpin.

I make a point of not overvaluing what we see at Summer League. I take it for what it is: developmental hooping with a chance to see growth from the elder statesmen on a roster.

Still, the two-man game had me coming away from the matchup pleasantly surprised. Factor in Cenac’s game-tying three late in the fourth, and Boston’s rally in overtime, and I think we can safely say that was as good a start as any for Amile Jefferson’s roster.

Next up is a game against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, July 12. I wonder what else we will learn about the guys on the roster…

Earlier today, Brad Stevens moved to secure one of the best bigs on the free-agent market in Mitchell Robinson, who is fresh off helping the New York Knicks win the 2026 NBA Championship.

Boston used the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception to get the deal over the line. They will now be hard capped at the first apron for the upcoming season.

So, the question now becomes, what will Robinson bring to the Celtics rotation?

Let’s dive in.

Rebounding

Robinson finished the 2025-26 regular season ranked fifth in the NBA for offensive boards per game. He pulled down an average of 4.2 per game, along with a further 4.6 per night on the defensive glass.

According to Cleaning The Glass, Robinson snagged 21.2% of the Knicks’ missed shots while he was on the floor, placing him in the 100th percentile among bigs in the NBA — that number excludes garbage time.

He also averaged 1.6 putback attempts per game, converting on 52.4% of those attempts.

Joe Mazzulla will love the activity Robinson brings on the offensive glass. He will help maximize possessions.

He will come up with clutch, momentum-swinging boards that help the Celtics either crack a cold streak or pile the pressure on during a run.

A key aspect of Robinson’s offensive rebounding is that while he doesn’t rack up a ton of assists, the ones he does register are usually him finding a shooter after extending a possession.

Dimes like this are commonplace for the towering big man. He will easily command his space, snatch the rock out of the sky, and find the open shooter or cutter. Boston’s perimeter-based options will thrive on the additional looks they’re going to get — just as they have whenever Payton Pritchard comes up with a sneaky, but often clutch, board.

The same can be said for Robinson’s work on the defensive glass. He’s got no problem initiating pitch-ahead passes in search of triggering the break, or simply getting the rock out of his hands at speed.

Couple Robinson with Jayson Tatum, Luka Garza and Neemias Queta and the Celtics shouldn’t have any concerns about controlling the glass next season — on either end of the floor. Oh, and remember, controlling the glass makes it easier to dictate the game's tempo.

Screening

This is an area that concerns me. Under Mazzulla, the Celtics have found great value in utilizing their non-shooting bigs on the perimeter. Luke Kornet and Queta both found their footing with similar roles.

The approach is simple: screen, screen some more, initiate hand-offs, and roll hard. Oh, and did I mention screening again?

So, forgive me for directing your eyes to the image below, taken from the venerable Basketball Index.

I’m not worried about Robinson’s value as a roller. His size and physicality will ensure he brings vertical spacing to the equation. My bigger concern is his lack of screening ability and the limited number of screen assists he generated last season.

Now, to be fair, New York plays a different system than the Celtics. Robinson spent far more time darting into the paint or occupying the dunker spot than he did flowing into secondary screens or running Varajao actions (flipping the angle of a screen).

So, while the data is pointing us one way, we have to be conscious that the role also has an impact.

Unfortunately, the film - or the film that I’ve watched over the past few hours - has shown that Robinson’s idea of screening is essentially giving someone a quick tap before rolling to the rack.

In one sense, I can see the value. The quicker Robinson gets into the paint, the quicker the defense collapses, and therefore, the easier it is for the ball-handler to make a read. On the other hand, this isn’t how the Celtics look to lean on their bigs.

Boston will want space creation on its screens. It will want movement on the perimeter to unlock scoring threats and open up space between defenders and shooters. These half-hearted high fives won’t fly. Not with the system we saw last season.

Not under Mazzulla.

Here’s another example of Robinson’s questionable screening. This time, he makes full contact with Jalen Brunson’s defender; however, limited separation is created. Part of the issue appears to come from the angle Robinson takes when setting his screen. If he could open up his hips a little and leave less room for the defender to fight through, there could be some serious advantage creation at play.

The Celtics coaching staff had enjoyed success in developing bigs in recent years. If they can improve Robinson’s screening, it will elevate his overall impact under Mazzulla.

Still, work will need to be done.

Scoring

If there’s one thing we can be sure of, it’s that Robinson’s shot profile is as one-dimensional as it gets — in a good way. He knows who he is as a player, and he makes the most of his size and talent.

Here’s a screenshot of Robinson’s shot frequency by location throughout his career.

What doesn’t come around the rim primarily comes via push shots, baby hooks and floaters. It’s an old-school big-man's shot diet and one that should pay dividends for the Celtics, considering that Robinson will likely be expected to find his scoring chances via offensive boards, putbacks, lobs or dump-offs.

Last season, Robinson attempted 206 two-point attempts. As we can see, they almost exclusively came at the rim. Of those 206 attempts, 122 came via putbacks, with him shooting 58% on those specific shots, per Synergy.

Let’s put that into perspective…59.2% of Robinson’s shots last season came via second-chance attempts. What’s more, the hulking big man drew shooting fouls on 11.5% of his putbacks — an easy 14 trips to the free-throw line.

Unfortunately, what Robinson gives in second-chance scoring and interior dominance, he takes away as a free-throw shooter. There’s a reason Joe Mazzulla has previously deployed the hack-a-Mitch strategy, and why teams feel comfortable fouling him when he’s looking to get the ball back up.

Robinson attempted 103 free throws during the 25-26 regular season. He made 42 of them. Now, 40.8% shooting is fantastic for someone making a living behind the three-point line. However, it’s downright disgusting for someone at the charity stripe.

We’ll need to live with the brutality that is a Mitch Robinson free throw. It’s not going to change, and he gives you enough around the rim — especially on the offensive glass — that you’ve gotta be willing to turn somewhat of a blind eye.

Still, if Robinson can create extra offensive possessions and score at a (roughly) 70-75% clip, his offensive production will be both noticeable and important to how Mazzulla will likely look to construct the Celtics’ offense next season.

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Defense

From the moment the Celtics were eliminated from the playoffs, I was harping on about the need to get a defensively versatile big. Someone who can switch, hedge, play up-to-touch, operate as a true cog in a switch-everything system.

Robinson is not that guy.

And that’s ok.

Assuming the Celtics lean into a system that sees 1-through-4 switch, pinch, and funnel, the trio of Robinson, Neemias Queta and Luka Garza are all capable of being rim deterrents.

Last season, Robinson ranked in the 87th percentile among bigs for blocks, swatting away 3.1% of opposing teams’ shots. That worked out to 1.2 blocks per game, with a total of 70 seats for the season.

Not only will Robinson block shots, but his presence in the paint will deter drives, force shooters into tougher decisions, and offer a genuine post defender if teams opt to try and work out of the block (not like that happens much these days).

Furthermore, Robinson is better-than-expected when guarding screening actions around the high help-line or at the free-throw line extended.

However, like Queta and to a slightly lesser extent, Garza, Robinson is out of his comfort zone when being pulled out onto the perimeter. Mazzulla must find a way to ensure his three bigs can operate in their drop defensive coverage without being manipulated to guard up at the three-point line.

There’s no point having a trio of rim deterrents and gatekeepers if you’re going to ask them to try and survive so far away from the hole.

If the Celtics do find themselves in need of a switchable big who can provide energy as a switchable five, Chris Cenac Jr. projects to be that guy. Maybe not this season, but for spurts? Sure.

Overall, though, Boston is betting on drop defense and rim deterrence/protection from its big man committee. As long as the team remains disciplined — especially with nail help — they should be a tough team to score on across all three levels.

Health

Here’s where I understand a lot of people’s concerns.

Similar to another rumored Celtics target this summer — former draft pick Robert Williams — Robinson has struggled with injuries throughout his career.

While those injuries haven’t been a recurring theme, they have certainly piled up over the years. Shortly after Boston’s acquisition of Robinson, I spoke with Knicks Film School for a podcast episode, diving into what the Celtics were getting in their latest big man and how Knicks fans have felt about him over the years.

You can check out the audio here:

Or the Video here:

Anyway, Robinson’s health inevitably came up during the conversation, and the key takeaway was that Boston will likely need to continue with the Knicks' minute-management plan for Robinson moving forward.

“There was never a specific minutes limit, so to speak,” Macri said. “I think there were some games this year where he played in the high 20s, over 25. (But) You can probably count them on one hand…They basically treated him like a sub-20-minute-a-game player in the league…So your starting line is not 82 games, assuming the Celtics also continue with the plan, and they may not.

If they don't, that would actually worry me more as a Celtics fan if the Celtics were like, "You know what? We're gonna run Mitchell Robinson out there on the second night back-to-backs. We're gonna be fine with it." If they continue treating him with kid gloves, your ceiling is probably 20 to 25 minutes per night over 65 games, and that's not even factoring in other injuries.”

The Celtics are no stranger to getting the best out of talents who need their minutes managed. We’re not that far removed from Malcolm Brogdon’s Sixth Man of the Year-winning season, where he was handled with kid gloves throughout the season.

There’s also the caveat that Mazzulla has solid depth at the five spot now. Queta, Robinson and Garza are a solid, reliable, and somewhat proven trio. Factor in Amari Williams on a two-way and Chris Cenac, who can offer something different, and there’s every reason to think Boston can make things work.

Still, if you’re concerned that Boston added a big who will need managing, and hard-capped themselves while doing so, I understand. However, from my standpoint, they’ve landed one of the best offensive rebounders in the NBA, who just so happens to elevate them on both sides of the floor.

Nothing in life is perfect, so as long as the good can potentially outweigh the bad, you have to roll the dice — and with Robinson, who rebounds, deters and finishes, the Celtics just got better.

After weeks that felt like months, the Jaylen Brown saga has come to an abrupt end. The Boston Celtics move on from the “Jays” era and will now begin to retool the roster around Jayson Tatum and his vast array of skills.

That’s what we should be telling ourselves right now.

Instead, we’re left scratching our heads, wondering what exactly happened and what it means for the future.

None of us has any answers right now.

The only thing that feels remotely certain is that Brad Stevens, fresh off his second Executive of the Year award, now has the lowest approval rating among the Celtics fanbase at any time during his tenure with the franchise, both as a coach and member of the front office.

Let’s refresh our memory on the trade that shook us all to the core last night.

Boston Gets: Paul George, a 2028 first-round pick with the chance it converts into a more favorable pick swap, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick (most favorable of GSW/OKC/MIL) and a 2030 second-round pick (most favorable WAS/PORT/PHX).

Sixers Get: Jaylen Brown

I remember seeing this trade, literally seconds after Tim Sheils and I had finished recording a podcast, and thinking, “They must have really wanted to move on from Jaylen. Is this what they settled for?”

That thought process stayed with me through the night. However, when I awoke this morning, I read two stellar pieces of work. The first came from the venerable Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe, with the following piece of reporting giving me reason to pause.

“One league source said Boston’s brass agonized for days over the decision to trade Brown but eventually determined that acquiring valuable assets along with a nine-time All-Star in George offered the franchise its best path forward,” Himmelsbach wrote.

The second piece came from the equally talented Tom Haberstroh, who gave a fair and well-reasoned take on why the Celtics may have felt comfortable calling time on Jaylen’s tenure with the Celtics.

“The debate shouldn’t be whether Brown is the seventh-best player on a team,” Haberstroh wrote. “The real discussion is whether he’s the seventh-best player in the league — because he’s being paid like that. The Celtics had to decide whether he was worth taking up that much of the cap.”

What I took from these two pieces was that Boston had decided it was time to move on from Brown, and the wider data surrounding Brown’s impact on the Celtics point to the fact that it was potentially the right call.

Fine, I can deal with that. If the decision was made with team success in mind, and the data was unequivocally pointing you in a certain direction, then do what you’ve got to do.

But, like, did you really need to send Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers of all teams? The team that just beat you in the postseason. The team that now has Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid?

That, to me, is the hardest sell of the entire situation.

Was Portland genuinely off the table? Even with a stable of guards that ultimately will need balancing out, and an abundance of draft picks?

What about the other list of teams you were reportedly talking to? Was Brown’s value that low around the NBA that what you got from Philly was the best you were going to get?

Maybe it was.

In the modern NBA, with the way the new CBA is set up, the cost-to-impact ratio has to be a driving factor. Brown came at a high cost. However, his impact, per the numbers, didn’t match his pay.

According to Dunksandthrees.com, Brown has never sniffed an elite-level Estimated Plus-Minus (my favorite stat for measuring on-court impact relative to the players he shared the floor with and went up against).

To put this into perspective, I rank an All-Star talent as having an EPM of +2.0 to +3.9. They’re solid, above-average talents who can thrive as a secondary option on an elite team.

Interestingly, this is where some of the disconnect between the fanbase and the analytics stems from. Brown was an All-Star this season. He finished sixth in MVP voting. Yet, according to one of the most stable impact metrics (in my opinion), he performed like the 77th most impactful player in the league.

We can all agree that Brown is FAR from a top-80 guy. I have him in the 15-20 range. Yet, that disconnect, between what the numbers measure and what our eyes see, is rarely so far apart. Usually, the most impactful guys are also the best players. It’s such a weird dichotomy.

Usually, a player who finds themselves in the MVP conversation would be posting an EPM of +4.0 or more. That’s an elite range. Genuine superstar territory.

Brown has never come close to reaching those heights. Not even this season, when he was the clear-cut first option and led the team to the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

George, however, has spent large stretches of his career in that upper echelon of NBA talent - regularly posting above a +4.0 during his prime.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I do not think that George, in this stage of his career, is a better player than Brown. I’m not delusional, and the green goggles haven’t slipped over my eyes.

Even this past season, George posted a higher EPM than Brown (+1.6 vs. +1.5). The fact that EPM already adjusts for the caliber of teammates and opponents each player faced is what makes this comparison fair. Despite a smaller role, George was still just as impactful, if not slightly more, than Brown.

That’s the impact part covered.

Now we look at the cost.

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Brown has three more years remaining on his $285 million supermax contract. He’s going to earn $57 million this season. He’s also eligible for a two-year $141.9 million extension later this summer.

For a moment, let’s assume the Celtics opted to extend Brown. That would have put them on the hook for an approximate total of $324.9 million over the next five years.

Over a quarter of a billion dollars.

Then re-factor the impact — Brown would have been earning superstar money with (what the metrics say is) an All-Star-level production. That’s like leasing a Lamborghini but having a BMW delivered, with no way to return it to get what you’re actually paying for.

Even granting the metrics aren't perfect, Brown’s production isn’t at the level to command such a hefty cap hit. Because, outside of the eye-watering figures, that’s what this is all about. Having Tatum and Brown eat up more than 70% of the cap, when only one of the two is making a superstar-level impact, is a hard sell, especially under the new CBA and the limitations surrounding team building.

We haven’t even factored in the data that says Boston plays better with Brown off the floor, and has done so consistently, I might add, for multiple years.

“The truth is that in the last four seasons, the Brown-less Celtics went a sizzling 47-10 (.825), which is the equivalent of being a 68-win team, enough to earn the No. 1 seed in almost every season on record,” Haberstroh shared. “That's not analytics. That's just counting wins and losses for a team without a certain player.”

Then we turn our eyes over to George, again.

Two years remaining, with the final year a player option that I assume he picks up. A total of $110.7 (ish) million committed. Similar impact metrics to Brown, shorter contract, and potentially tradable both this season and especially next, because we all know expiring deals are oftentimes easier to move.

Boston has shortened its financial commitment by multiple years, while keeping a similar level of impact. The only true concern the franchise will likely have is that George has proven incapable of seeing out a full season in recent years.

Not only does George struggle to stay healthy, but he also misses lengthy stretches at a time. Nevertheless, if Stevens feels he will have an easier time moving on from George, either this season or next, then so be it. After all, if the Celtics can stay out of the tax this year, the repeater will be cleansed, and Boston can start spending again next summer, and that is key to everything we hope the Celtics are planning.

Of course, there is another aspect to this trade: the draft picks.

Boston now has a fistful of first-round picks in the coming years, including a couple of more favorable swaps. They have even more second-rounders — the full list can be found here.

The Celtics have the assets necessary to make a swing at another talent — be that this summer for someone like Trey Murphy, or in the future when another disgruntled star inevitably emerges on the market.

Of course, should the Celtics struggle for whatever reason, they’ve got a higher chance of securing a lottery pick, which in turn, adds another cost-controlled asset to their growing treasure chest.

Optionality.

That’s going to be the buzzword over the next 12-to-18 months. The Celtics have options now. George’s contract isn’t a debilitating over the mid-term. The picks provide additional room to operate at negotiating tables. And, most importantly, the Celtics still have a top-5 talent to build around as they continue reshaping the roster.

Last night, we all went to bed with a sense of sadness, frustration and confusion.

Nothing made sense.

It was raw.

We were pissed.

Now, just one sleep later, the trade still hurts. Yet, after having some time to begin comprehending the reasons behind why Boston may have decided to take this route, there’s a little bit of clarity.

So yeah, that happened.

At least now, we have some inkling of why, even if we hate it.

Must be nice.

Over in Boston Celtics land, rumors surrounding the future of Jaylen Brown continue to dominate our consumption. From the moment the Celtics struck out on Giannis, it’s been a new string of daily updates.

The common consensus is that Brown’s tenure with the Celtics is over. That in the coming days, weeks, maybe even months, he will be traded to a new situation, and the Celtics will begin building again.

We’ve all seen the reporting, or at least some of it. But, with new updates coming thick and fast, I thought now would be the perfect time to provide a round-up, before trying to read between the lines.

Brian Windhorst — He’s going to get traded.

“Yeah, he's going to get traded, okay?” Brian Windhorst said on Unsportsmanlike this morning. “…Obviously, they offered him very strongly to the Bucks. Then Brad Stevens came out and said many, many wonderful things about him and respectful and all that stuff. He never said he wasn't trading him. Which he obviously could have done. And he met with Jaylen before this happened, and he didn't meet with them to say, 'Hey, uh, are you summering in Greece? Are you summering? Are you going to try the Mediterranean?

He obviously told them that there's seriously a chance they're going to trade him. So now, whether they can find a trade — because look — Jaylen Brown is 29 years old, coming off his best season under contract for three years. Those are things that you like, you want. It's not a guarantee that they're going to be able to find a deal that they like that's going to improve the team. But I think they are intending to trade him.”

Jay King — There’s some belief Boston would accept young players + draft picks

“It would be no surprise if Brown stays with the Celtics and continues his highly successful partnership with Jayson Tatum indefinitely,” King wrote for The Athletic. “However, there is a growing perception that the organization would consider the idea of trading Brown for the right price.”

“There have been whispers around the league of Boston’s interest in New Orleans Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III. There is even some belief that the Celtics front office would consider offers based more on younger prospects, picks and pick swaps. In any potential deal, Boston would be expected to demand top value for Brown, who is coming off a sixth-place MVP finish.”

Zach Lowe — Isn’t betting that Brown will be on the roster next season

"It feels like the the toothpaste is too far out of the tube with Jaylen Brown," Lowe said on his podcast. "If you ask me right now... I don't think Jaylen Brown starts the season with the Boston Celtics next year. That could end up being wrong,...I'm not saying that definitively, I'm saying if you made me bet, yes or no, is Jaylen Brown a Celtic next year, I'm betting no."

Kevin O’Connor — Timberwolves preferred LaMelo

“Sources: The Timberwolves explored Jaylen Brown trades with Boston before the LaMelo Ball deal was completed with Charlotte,” O’Connor reported via Twitter. “LaMelo was the preferred target, though.”

Shams Charania - Boston engaging in talks with purpose

“The Boston Celtics are actively engaged in trade talks surrounding Jaylen Brown with multiple interested teams, and I'm told there is a sense of purpose from teams around the league that they feel from the Celtics in these conversations,” Shams said on night 2 of the NBA Draft.

“That does not mean though that a deal is guaranteed because Jaylen Brown does have three years left on his contract he's got a super max deal that he's on but my understanding is that the urgency from either side could change as the weeks go on.”

The throughline

The primary throughline in all of the above reporting is that Boston is still open to trading Brown this summer. Now, being open to doing something and actually doing it are two very different things.

I’ve been open to relocating the family to the USA for the past 10-15 years. I haven’t done it, because I don’t fit the criteria for a residency visa.

The same can be said for Brad Stevens and Brown. You can be open to trading him, but if a deal that fits your criteria doesn’t manifest, then you keep pushing as things are and trust that everything will smooth itself out over time.

Is keeping Brown beyond this summer optimal? That all depends on how frosty things are behind the scenes. We’re not privy to that information. All I know is that unless Brown explicitly requests a trade, there’s no urgency to get a deal done — unless you’re trying to avoid that request so you can maximize the return.

Then, of course, we have the question of what an optimal return for Brown would be, and that’s arguably the most contentious area of this whole situation. For some, a star-level big is ideal. For others, anything less than a comparative star in return would be a blunder.

And then, there’s the potential for a haul. A string of younger guys, most of whom have the potential to take developmental leaps. A handful of future first-round picks, pick swaps, and maybe some second-rounders. The type of deal Jay King noted in the quote above.

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Arguments for and against the young player route

For: Let’s imagine, just for a moment, the Celtics do go the route where Brown is traded for multiple younger talents and picks. Odds are, those talents plug gaps. Maybe one is a guard, another is a big man, and the draft picks either turn into future talents or get flipped in a subsequent deal.

Does a more well-balanced roster, with Jayson Tatum as the spearhead, make the Celtics more or less competitive?

Going from two star-level contributors to one is a clear talent drop. However, if we look toward the Indiana Pacers, there’s something to be said about a string of interchangeable parts surrounding a truly elite talent. A roster where there’s no drop-off between the bench and starting unit is a roster that’s hard to beat. The only real worry comes via those non-Tatum minutes when he inevitably sits.

Then, of course, you have the chance for someone on the roster to rise to the occasion. To gradually backfill the minutes, usage, touches and impact that Brown leaves behind. A cost-controlled future star could emerge. It’s not unheard of for someone to step up when the chance of a bigger role is on the table.

There’s also the fact that as guys rise to the occasion, their value increases, and as their value increases, the opportunity to enter the race for a true superstar partner to Tatum re-emerges. Or, the entire Brown trade starts to look far better for Boston in hindsight — either is a win. Unfortunately, both paths carry a lot of “well if this happens, or that happens.” It’s a road of unknowns.

Against: Getting somewhat of a haul sounds great, right? Maybe not. When teams push for a package like that, it’s usually because they’re entering a rebuild. The young players become the future of the franchise, and the draft picks give them optionality in the coming years. They’re stocking their war chest in the hopes of a draft class like this year’s or a superstar being willing to join.

That’s not where the Celtics are.

The Celtics are aiming to contend. With or without Brown, it would appear.

It’s hard to envision Stevens risking Tatum’s prime years by accepting a package that doesn’t elevate the Celtics back toward becoming the undeniable favorites in the Eastern Conference.

Could a haul do both things? Give the Celtics optionality while also elevating the roster? Anything is possible, especially with this coaching staff and the player development system in place. It’s a much harder path, though.

To me, this feels like the move you make if Brown has requested out, because that’s when his value will start to slide. Right now, that doesn’t appear to be the case, and therefore, his market value should still be sky-high following a 6th-placed finish in MVP voting.

Accepting a rebuilding-style package could make sense, depending on the package itself, but it certainly wouldn’t be a move to maximize the upcoming season.

Living in the unknown

Whenever Brown has been floated in trade rumors before, the noise surrounding his potential exit has died once the “target” has landed elsewhere. That isn’t the case this time around. Giannis is off the board. Yet, Brown continues to be named as a potential domino to drop in the coming weeks.

The tough reality of this is that we’re living in the unknown. Brown could be back next season, he could be elsewhere. At this point, I’m not sure the front office would have an answer for you, even if they were willing to give you straight-up honesty.

My only hope right now is that whatever’s happening with Brown doesn’t derail the other work that needs to be done. The acquisition of a guard. The locating and adding of another big man. Tough decisions over who stays and who goes from the contingent of team options Boston must pick up or decline.

Brown can be a trade piece. We have no control over that. What he can’t be is a tool to explain away a summer of inaction. We’ve done our years of “gee, well, we tried to get him.” The roster has to improve, one way or another. If we can see steps being taken toward that end, at least then, living with the unknown will be somewhat easier to stomach.

We spent the last two days being told that Boston had moved into pole position to land the two-time MVP, with a package centered on Jaylen Brown, a young player, and picks going the other way. Ultimately, though, that wasn’t the case, and it wasn’t the offer that Milwaukee ended up turning down.

“The Celtics aggressively pursued Giannis, offering Milwaukee a package featuring 2024 Finals MVP Jaylen Brown and two first-round picks, sources tell ESPN,” ESPN’s Shams Charania reported via X. “The Bucks seriously negotiated with two finalists in recent weeks: Miami and Boston, which were both on Antetokounmpo’s list of preferred destinations.”

Now, Brad Stevens has some questions that will need answering as he looks to pivot away from a failed trade pursuit that very publicly involved splitting up Boston’s core duo.

The question is, what will those answers look like?

Driving Up The Price

A positive spin on this whole saga could be that Stevens drove the price up for Miami. Sure, they’ve ended up with Giannis, but at what cost? Is a starting lineup of Davion Mitchell, Norman Powell (if he re-signs), Andrew Wiggins, Giannis and Bam Adebayo good enough to contend for a championship next season?

I wouldn’t say so.

So the question then becomes, what assets does Miami have left to continue maneuvering in the trade market?

By adding Brown into the mix, Miami was forced to go deep into its asset pool to get a trade over the line. In doing so, Pat Riley parted with the Heat’s version of Hugo Gonzalez: Kasparas Jakucionis.

“Kasparas Jakucionis was Miami’s version of Boston’s Hugo Gonzalez hang-up. Had been hearing all day the Heat did not want to part with the Illinois product on top of their Herro-Ware-Jacquez-No. 13 structure,” Jake Fischer reported via X. “That’s an All-Star guard, three recent first-round picks still on rookie deals, a second lottery pick in tomorrow’s loaded draft class, plus two more future firsts and a swap... It’s really a sizable haul for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Compared to Jaylen Brown and two first-round picks.”

That’s the silver lining for Boston fans. Even though the Celtics didn’t get their guy, they put enough pressure on the Heat that Riley had to up the offer, in turn, gutting the roster.

In truth, though, that only benefits the Bucks, so that’s not much of a consolation prize for the Celtics, is it?

What Next For Jaylen Brown?

This will be the question on everybody’s lips this morning.

How many times can the Celtics dangle Brown in trade talks before he’s had enough?

What I find interesting is that this was the first time we heard of Brown being open to a trade going down, and potentially getting his own team.

“Given that the Celtics’ offer is contingent on Jaylen Brown’s inclusion — despite a denial that has amused rival executives — there’s an increasing sense that not only is Brown comfortable with the idea of leaving Boston and being traded to Milwaukee, but is hoping to find a resolution over the next 48 hours, league sources said,” Yahoo Sports’ Kelly Iko reported.

Not only have the Celtics missed out on their primary trade target, but they’ve also now got to either try and repair the situation with Brown, or begin looking for deals elsewhere around the NBA.

Could Brown ask out?

It’s not outside the realm of possibility. There’s only so many times you can go through this situation before deciding enough is enough. The fact that Brown finds himself back here after such a stellar season could be enough to tip the scales toward an exit this summer, or at least in the near future.

And what about the Celtics? Are they confident in running things back and making some tweaks on the fringes?

“The Celtics, I think, at the end of the day, have reached the conclusion that they are not good enough, where they were,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said via ‘Get Up’. “They believe, internally, they didn’t lose in the first round to Philly because Jayson Tatum got hurt. They believe they lost because they weren’t good enough. And I think they believe that if they had gotten to the next round against the Knicks, they were not good enough to beat the Knicks. And would not have been good enough to get out of the East to win the Finals.”

Like it or loathe it, Brown is the Celtics’ best trade chip. His trade value is never going to be higher than it is right now. If Stevens wants to make a big swing, it would involve dealing the five-time All-Star.

The way I see it, Brad has a handful of options available to him - which will be contingent on how Brown sees the rest of this summer playing out, too.

Option 1: Find Another Trade This Summer

“They are aggressively looking to make a change,” Windhorst continued, via ‘Get Up’. “I believe that if the Bucks choose the Miami Heat offer, Jaylen Brown will get traded somewhere else. They are going to move on here.”

If this is the path Brad chooses, the question then becomes “trade Brown for who?” Let’s look at a couple of options.

The first option would be turning your attention to Kawhi Leonard. Like Giannis, he’s in the final year of his current contract, so would need to commit to re-signing in Boston. However, Miami had him penciled in as a contingency plan, and Stevens may have a similar idea.

You can adjust the trade however you want, get some extra pieces, swap some draft picks, it doesn’t matter. The crux of the deal would be betting that Kawhi can give Boston a different dimension, while also slotting into a secondary role during this late phase of his career.

Personally, I’m all the way out on this one. Kawhi’s tenure in LA has been nothing short of shambolic, and I’m not looking to bring that type of energy to Boston. Yet, if Brown wants out, Kawhi is arguably one of the best returns you’re going to get, in terms of a star-level name.

Is Trey Murphy and Dejounte Murray a return that alters the Celtics’ outlook moving forward? Or, at least, do Murray and Murphy plug enough gaps that parting with Brown is at least somewhat logical?

Again, I’m not sold. I have a very short list of guys who I would flip Brown for; Murray or Murphy are not on that list. Still, if moving Brown is a goal this summer, for whatever reason, a deal that elevates Tatum to the undisputed top spot of the rotation, while plugging in high-level supporting cast guys behind him, isn’t the worst route to go.

Again, you can tweak this trade idea however you choose. I’m just putting out bare-bones ideas to see what options are out there.

Another option would be revisiting Kevin Durant, while also trying to snag Alperen Sengun away from the Houston Rockets, although that feels like a long shot.

My point here is that Boston still has options if it truly plans on trading Jaylen Brown. Are any of those options as talented as Giannis? Probably not. None of them would be such a logical fit, either. However, that’s the world we’re living in now. A lot will depend on how Brad Stevens envisions the roster by the end of the summer and the type of talent he plans to pursue.

Another note on potentially trading Brown: Kevin O’Connor has also reported that he may not remain with the Celtics beyond this summer.

“I would expect, from my conversations with people around the league, that Boston is going to continue trying to trade Jaylen Brown,” O’Connor said on a live stream. “Giannis was simply Plan A. What is Plan B? I don’t know exactly. I would think that Boston is in on Trey Murphy.”

The question now is whether Boston can find fair value for a player who has consistently been floated in trade rumors. I’d have to assume that this failed move has impacted his market value on some level, even if only marginally.

Option 2: Tie Brown Down For The Long Term

The easiest way to put all of this behind us is for the Celtics to negotiate a contract extension with Brown once he becomes eligible next month. $141 million has a way of helping people forget their gripes.

The thing is, you don’t propose a marriage to save a failing relationship, and that’s exactly what the Celtics would be doing.

I can’t see a world where Brown signs an extension, which won’t kick in until his age-33, and is then playing on another team in a year or so. This would be a legitimate commitment to keep him around long-term.

Think about that. For Brown’s entire tenure in Boston, the messaging has been clear: this is an open relationship, and we reserve the right to see other people. From Anthony Davis and Kawhi to Durant and Giannis, the Celtics have chased their fair share of superstars — all of which saw Brown’s name being dangled along the way.

So, what happens the next time a star comes on the market and the opposing team isn’t interested in taking on Brown’s long-term deal that would pay him north of $70 million per year for the duration of the extension? Do you pivot to floating Tatum?

Doubtful.

Extending Brown now would be doing so for all the wrong reasons. He’s open to leaving. Boston has been open to facilitating that exit under the right circumstances. This is a breakup waiting to happen. All we’re waiting for is to see which side pulls the band-aid off first.

A contract extension is certainly an option for Brad; it’s just not one I think he should use to smooth out how things have gone for Brown.

Option 3: Continue re-tooling and remain patient

Brad has proven to be methodical in his approach. Pushing ahead with the front office’s offseason plans, rounding out the supporting cast, and remaining patient could be the right play.

Brown is still under contract. So, unless he explicitly asks for a trade, Boston can go about their business with Brown’s immediate future set to be with the Celtics. If he comes out of the gates hot, which he probably will now that he has another point to prove, then great; his trade value rises, and the Celtics can re-engage teams closer to the deadline, or next summer.

If Brown struggles to begin the season, the improved rotation is good enough to help paper over those cracks while we wait for him to find his level.

At the end of the day, if Brown is a trade chip for the Celtics, the value play is to continue building up his value while waiting for teams to come to you. Essentially, go fishing for trade partners, and let them take the bait.

And if he’s not on the market, and this whole situation was due to Giannis being an outlier of a target, then any rift that’s been caused can likely be healed by winning and returning to contention.

Either way, refocusing on the task at hand and not doubling down on finding a new trade partner for Brown is potentially the best course of action — at least in the immediate term.

Go out there, find a new starting guard, an upgrade at center and pick another young and exciting rookie in the draft. Worry about what comes after all that when, or if, the time arrives.

The Fall Out

“If you’re Boston, there’s going to be fallout from this. Some hard conversations. For the second time in four years, the Celtics have offered Jaylen Brown, their co-star with Jayson Tatum, in a trade,” Shams Charania said on SportsCenter.

Regardless of what option the Celtics choose to take, the fallout feels inevitable. I’m expecting Brown’s tenure in Boston to wind down shortly. Whether that’s before the season, during the season or next summer, remains a mystery.

However, if I’m Brown, I’ve got the message loud and clear — again.

The Celtics, who have been a picture of stability under Stevens’ tenure so far, are entering some choppy waters. Now might be time to start throwing things overboard to ensure the entire ship doesn’t capsize.

What follows is a transcript of a back-and-forth conversation between Nathan and me.

Adam: Hey Nathan,

This year’s draft class looks super deep. There appears to be a lot of role-playing talent that will hover around the end of the first round, and potentially into the start of the second.

With the Boston Celtics owning the 27th pick, and clear needs at both guard and center, how confident are you that they can find someone capable of eating some playing time from the jump? Or, am I being too optimistic here?

Nathan: So the good news is this 2026 NBA Draft class has experienced talent at the back end of the first round throughout the second primarily because of the impact of NIL on college basketball. Normally, this would be an excellent area of the draft to take a player and either stash them in your G League system, OR stash them overseas to further develop and round out their skill sets.

A lot of those players have chosen to cash in on larger paydays going back to school, or those INT players are actually coming stateside to play college basketball. So this portion of the draft is filled with seniors laden with experience playing in high-leverage college games.

While they may not possess the same developmental runway as guys who are 2-3 years younger than them, they do have some polished traits to lean on that can complement the back end of a rotation in the NBA. This draft class, in general, is loaded with guards and has some forwards/bigs who can complement how Boston wants to play and what the Celtics generally look for in talent. I love asking those who cover their teams what they’re looking for in players, not just position but by skill set, and offering recommendations as to who might be available in specific ranges!

Adam, what do you think the Celtics need out of guards and bigs at the tail end of the bench? What types of players fit Joe Mazz and could catch their attention as far as fighting for a rotation spot? I’m confident I can offer up some great names in the 25-40 range?

Guards

Adam: That is good news!

Let’s do this in two parts! First, they need a guard…

I think the Celtics would need a guard capable of absorbing some playmaking minutes, likely in the non-Tatum minutes. Someone who can take a little PnR creation off of Jaylen Brown’s shoulders, can attack and create off the bounce, and of course, hit a respectable clip from deep.

Nathan: From a lead guard perspective, Boston would likely have to trade up into the Top 20 to feel great about securing that type of player with higher-end talent/upside; however, I do know one particular player that could fill that void in the late first of this draft: Richie Saunders.

Saunders is roughly 6’6” in shoes, has a decent wingspan, is sharp at making decisions on the court, and can flat out shoot it off the catch. He’s an experienced player that’s seen a lot in college, and took on higher usage roles alongside AJ Dybantsa when that BYU team needed a bucket pre-injury. Now he did suffer an ACL injury later in the season, so his immediate availability for the start of the 2026-27 season is in question. But after a “redshirt” stint, he could be exactly what Boston needs more of off the bench.

You can trust him to pass and find the open man, and he relocates incredibly well for open threes. Not to mention, he can actually attack a closeout and make a play off it, which is critical to offensive success in today’s NBA.

Adam: Ok, you’ve got me interested. I think I would pause due to the injury, and not having seen how his recovery is going or what impact it could have on his long-term development. However, when you’re picking this late in the first, taking swings at potential upside for a steal isn’t the worst-case strategy.

My only issue is that upside swings haven’t been Stevens’ strategy so far. He seems to prefer a guy with a higher floor.

One guy who has interested me is Sergio De Larrea - do you have any thoughts on him? His potential to be around at 27?

Nathan: Sergio De Larrea is a fascinating prospect, primarily because he’s one of the few mystery boxes we have from overseas in the class. A lot of the INT crop of players are electing to come spend not one, but even multiple seasons in college due to the NIL impact on the basketball landscape.

So getting a player like De Larrea to add intrigue in the first round is awesome to see for depth purposes. Not many 6’7” ball handlers are available later in the first round, but there are some questions about how dynamic of a scorer De Larrea is with the ball in his hands. Is he shifty enough to consistently break down NBA defenders? Is he a PG at the next level?

Or is he in the mold of Egor Demin, in the sense of a wicked passer, but better in an off-ball context? De Larrea isn’t the shooter of Demin, but he is a smart cutter and off-ball mover who isn’t afraid of contact. I think he’d be a dream type of player to get into Boston’s developmental program and roll the dice with.

All signs indicate him being an option for Boston at 27, but I also find it hard to believe that a team like the Toronto Raptors, for example, wouldn’t take a look at him with No. 19 given that team’s propensity for finding positional size that can also handle the ball.

Centers

Adam: They also need a big man…

I’m of the opinion that defensive versatility is something missing in the big man rotation now. Neemias Queta and Luka Garza are straight-up drop defenders.

Finding someone who can provide optionality on that end, either as a switch-everything, or a broader up-to-touch system, would help give the team an overall curveball.

Mazzulla has also been great at utilizing non-shooting bigs as screening and hand-off hubs, primarily as a weakside x5.

Nathan: As for centers, this player isn’t a true center, but what you are looking for sounds exactly like Zuby Ejiofor from St. John’s, who is one of my favorite players in the entire class. He’s about 6’9” in shoes, with a 7’2” wingspan, weighing in at 245 pounds.

Ejiofor is a physical post player who rarely gets backed down on defense, yet possesses the foot speed and lateral mobility to actually go out and guard opposing perimeter players from the three-point line, and even out past that in pressure situations. St. John’s used Zuby in a variety of ways on defense, primarily through switching/trapping and even playing some full-court defense at times.

He’s the type of player who could offer something Boston doesn’t really have from a big standpoint defensively, with some ball-handling chops to complement how the Celtics play on offense. He can catch the ball on a short roll, and redirect traffic as needed. If Ejiofor is able to be screened into a mismatch, he can make opposing defenses play and draw fouls at an incredibly high rate for a player of his archetype.

The shooting is his swing skill, as it is for a lot of prospects entering the league, but there’s been no better developmental system over the last few years than in Boston, so I’m confident they could work with a player who’s shown more willingness to shoot it as his career has gone on.

Adam: You’ve kind of sold me on Zuby Ejiofor to be honest. He sounds like exactly what I would be looking for in trying to plug a gap in the big man rotation. If he can elevate the second-unit’s defense, and operate in the five-out system without being a net negative (screening, hand-offs, etc are perfect) then I think there’s a pathway to some playing time for him next season.

Now, he’s not going to get immediate run. Mazzulla will make him earn it, but a versatile defender down low is a clear need since losing Al Horford last summer. I’d be all in on him if he was available when the Celtics were on the clock.

That swings the question back to you... Do you see him falling into their range?

Nathan: My board has Zuby Ejiofor in a range that’s right there for the Boston Celtics to take advantage of. I do think he comes off the board somewhere in the 20’s, but it’s much easier for the Celtics to maybe move up a few spots vs. trying to go up significantly higher into the teens.

So if this front office is sold on Ejiofor, I do see a pathway that’s realistic to acquiring him in this draft.

Potential for a trade

Nathan: Boston has been known to trade out of the first to acquire future assets. There’s smoke of moving up, but do you think it’s more likely they trade back than forward in this draft? Where are you at with Boston in terms of sticking at 27/40, packaging picks to move up, or trading back to get even more second-round capital?

Adam: I think a lot depends on what else Stevens is looking to do this summer. If he doesn’t see value for a position of need in the draft, then trading his picks could make sense - assuming it’s to strike deals around the league.

Otherwise, I’d assume he pushes ahead with what he’s got or targets a slightly higher pick. I’m kind of leaning toward him being active in the draft due to the Celtics wanting to stay out of the luxury tax this season to cleanse the repeater tax. Adding a young, hopefully impactful rookie - along with a two-way prospect in the 2nd round- should help them do just that.

Wrapping Up

Adam: This about wraps it up, Nathan.

FWIW, I’m super intrigued by De Larrea. BUT, I think you’ve totally sold me on Zuby, and he’s the guy I’m going to root for the team to draft next week. Of course, either De Larrea or Zuby would be fantastic...You just never know what curveballs are going to come your way…

Side note: If you’re not already subscribed to , you should be. They’re the gold standard of draft content. Furthermore, they’re proof that Substack can be successfully built from the ground up. I aspire to reach their level someday. I’m also incredibly grateful to Nathan for his time and willingness to do this!

Cutting through the noise is often a difficult task, especially when it’s hard to tell where these rumors are coming from, and what angle the information is supposed to be supporting.

In today’s episode of The Celtics Chronicle podcast, Tim Shiels and I discussed the frustrations that come with such a public thought process, and the reality of why trading for Giannis could, or could not, make sense, along with reasons for and against trading Jaylen Brown.

Check out the episode on Apple.

Or Spotify.

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We’re closing in on draft day. In all the hustle and bustle of the never-ending stream of Giannis rumors being pumped out in recent days, a little nugget of reporting from Jake Fischer regarding Boston’s desire to trade up in the draft didn’t get the attention it deserved.

So, let’s change that.

“While Boston continues to loom as a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo landing spot, sources say the Celtics are looking to trade up in the first round of next Tuesday’s NBA Draft from their No. 27 pick,” Fischer posted on X on Tuesday.

How high the Celtics want to move up is anybody’s guess. Why they want to move up is also open for debate.

On the one hand, Brad Stevens could be interested in a specific group of players who all project to be off the board by the time Boston is on the clock at 27. On the other hand, a higher draft pick could help sweeten a deal for Giannis, assuming Stevens moves up before draft night.

Either way, a move would be a signal of intent from the front office. Judging what type of signal is where the challenge would come into play.

But what if I told you that there’s a potential sleeper pick who could be a strong fit for the Celtics but is a risk to come off the board around 24? The New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves are both reported to have strong interest in Sergio De Larrea out of Spain, per Jake Fischer.

“The Wolves hold a strong interest in selecting the polished international guard with the 28th overall pick next Tuesday, viewing his elite positional size as an ideal long-term fit next to superstar Anthony Edwards,” EuroHoops wrote. “…This strong interest from Minnesota creates a strategic dilemma for the newly crowned champions, who currently own the 24th and 31st selections. To secure the Valladolid native outright, the Knicks may be forced to keep their first pick rather than attempting to trade down or waiting.”

De Larrea has been someone I have focused on in recent days. He’s been a pro since 2022, so he will enter the NBA with four years of pro ball experience under his belt. At 6-foot-6, De Larrea has great size for a point guard, along with a skill set that fits what Boston is currently lacking out of the guard position.

De Larrea is a throwback-style playmaker. He thrives on getting his teammates quality shots, while approaching halfcourt offense with a calm patience that can lull defenses into a false sense of security.

However, in the open court, he’s a penetrator who loves to pressure the rim before kicking out to open shooters on the perimeter, or by finding the big man, either on the roll or around the rim.

What I find really interesting is that right now, De Larrea’s biggest weaknesses could be what helps him fit into a contending team’s system. Ok, that sounds weird. Here me out.

On offense, De Larrea lacks elite-level burst. He’s not beating people with his first step, and he doesn’t have different gears to cycle through. His handle, especially when moving at speed, is questionable. There’s also a significant amount of work to be done on his overall strength, both lower body and core, as with most rookies.

Those issues are why De Larrea could be available at the end of the first round, if not early in the second. Yet, they’re also why he could fit with a team such as Boston. Think about it: as a rookie, sophomore, or even third-year guy, De Larrea’s touches would be limited.

De Larrea would be given plenty of time to work on his weaknesses in Boston. He would slot into a tertiary playmaking role under Joe Mazzulla, who could lean into De Larrea’s instincts as a passer within a .5 framework.

One dribble passes, a straight-line drive leading to a kick-out, spotting cutters or even a simple entry pass — all of these options would be available and having another high-level passer to lean on would elevate the second unit. Then, there’s De Larrea’s feel in the pick-and-roll. He might not have electric speed, but his change of pace, ability to control angles, and feel for when passing pockets are open would help unlock second unit bigs and wings.

In the minutes when De Larrea shared the floor with an explosive big such as Neemias Queta, I could see some serious lob-city vibes, too.

De Larrea is more than just a passer, though. He’s a highly talented shooter. At 20 years old, he has suited up in 68 games across all competitions this season (for Valencia), shooting 38.6% from three-point range and 43.1% from the field, per RealGM.

If his shot can hold as he adjusts to the NBA, positioning him as an off-ball shooting threat with a green light to put the rock on the floor would be an ideal way of maximizing his strengths while hiding his weaknesses.

Close-out hard and De Larrea will beat you off the bounce, draw help and redirect the rock to the open man. Give him space, and he’ll drop threes on your head. Try and split the difference, and suddenly the pick-and-roll game opens up for him to manipulate the situation before making reads that can put opponents on the back foot.

“Scouts frequently praise his masterful pick-and-roll pacing, noting that the young floor general consistently makes the correct decision,” EuroHoops noted.

Overall, De Larrea projects as someone who could slot into the Celtics rotation and provide secondary or tertiary playmaking and ball-handling. He’ll bring connectivity, while also being a viable scoring threat both off the dribble and off the catch. I think he'll surprise people with his off-ball cutting, directional changes and overall feel for the game.

At his size, De Larrea could easily slide between the 1, 2 and 3, giving Mazzulla plenty of optionality when iterating through combinations early in the season.

Now, onto defense…

Where’s the one place you don’t want to put a guy who lacks burst, is limited in terms of overall speed and has questions regarding their strength: the point of attack.

De Larrea doesn’t project as a POA defender at the NBA level. I mean, he wasn’t that guy in Europe, either.

Instead, De Larrea provides defensive value as a helper. His wingspan and overall length make him a disruptive presence in passing lanes, and his basketball IQ ensures that he rotates over at the right moments. He can, however, be prone to gambling when trying to jump the lane, which is something Mazzulla would quickly coach out of him.

Furthermore, the young guard is also a little foul-prone. He averaged two fouls per game in 24-25, and 1.6 per night this past season. Most of those fouls have come when De Larrea is operating at the point of attack and is being forced to try and play at a pace outside his comfort zone. Nevertheless, De Larrea’s foul rate will be another area he’ll need to work on, especially as he won’t get a welcoming whistle as a rookie.

Still, nobody is expecting De Larrea to be an elite shut-down defender. As long as he can play a role, show upside along with a pathway to improvement, and not be someone who is a total liability on the defensive end (such as not being hunted), he will be afforded the opportunity to develop his game and carve out a role within the Celtics’ system.

So, the question now becomes whether Stevens would be willing to move up (slightly) in the draft to acquire De Larrea. After all, we’re talking about a player who was crowned 2025-26 Liga Endesa Best Young Player and the 2024-25 Super Cup MVP. He’s a proven young talent with sizeable upside. Furthermore, he plugs a legitimate gap in the rotation while also offering some much-needed additional playmaking.

Of course, there’s a chance that De Larrea will be available when Boston’s on the clock with the 27th pick. However, if the Celtics do identify him as a genuine target, finding a way to jump ahead of the Knicks at 24 will be their best chance of guaranteeing he’s still on the board.

Now, I’m not saying he is who the Celtics will target. Nor am I saying they should absolutely make him their sole focus. What I am saying is that as far as late first-round prospects go, you could do far worse than a four-year pro that’s already proven himself on the European stage and has significantly more room to grow.

If that means parting with a future 2nd and the 27th pick to move just above the Knicks, I think I would be ok with that.

What I didn’t expect was that Jaylen Brown would once again be the focus of intense trade rumors.

Throughout Brown’s tenure in Boston, he’s been discussed as a make-weight in rumored deals for Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant and now, Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Let’s be real for a moment. In each of those instances, Brown’s name was being discussed for moves that were widely seen as upgrades for the Celtics. At first, Danny Ainge was dangling Brown’s long-term upside as a top-tier wing in the NBA. Then, it became Brown’s age and the fact that he’d just entered his prime years.

This time, the rationale is that Brown just enjoyed the best season of his career while serving as the Celtics' primary scoring option. His trade value has never, and likely will never, be this high again.

Of course, there’s also the fact that acquiring Giannis would represent a legitimate upgrade for the Celtics — at least on paper. After all, Giannis and Jayson Tatum are both top-5 or top-7 players in the NBA when fully healthy. Brown is in the top-15 range. That’s a sizeable talent jump.

On paper, the fit of Giannis and Tatum makes sense, too. Their pick-and-roll game would be nasty. Giannis’ rim pressure would open up space on the perimeter, and interior screening actions could open up plenty of opportunities for the role players to feast — both off the catch and via cuts.

I get it, though, not everyone is going to be on board with a potential trade that involves Brown heading out the door, especially after the season he just had. So, let’s weigh things up.

Why A Brown Trade Makes Sense

Will Brown be willing to slot back into his previous role next to Jayson Tatum after proving he can spearhead an elite-level NBA offense?

“I’ve done that my whole career. I’ve played alongside Jayson Tatum. Nothing new,” Brown said on Jan. 15 after deferring to Anfernee Simons, who had the hot hand in Boston’s 119-114 win over the Miami Heat.

Does Brown want to continue deferring throughout the remainder of his prime years?

He’s proven he can be the guy.

If the answer is no, then finding a way to get him to a favorable situation, while also bringing in one of the best players in the world, is a win for everyone.

“I felt like I’ve sacrificed over the years in order for us to be a championship-caliber team. And I think now, we’re getting to see that a little bit,” Brown said later in January following a 102-94 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. “What exactly I was capable of, and what I was sacrificing.”

Of course, only Brown will know the answer to that question.

Outside of potentially appeasing Brown, there’s the obvious argument of maximizing the talent around Tatum. If Giannis is truly the better talent (which he is, even at age 31), then making a move to blow the window of contention wide open for the next two or three years is the right call.

The fact that Boston could acquire Giannis while maintaining financial flexibility heading into the offseason is, in my opinion, their biggest selling point to Giannis. Unlike the Heat, or most other teams around the NBA, Boston wouldn’t need to gut the roster in order to get a trade over the line.

Giannis wants to win.

Now.

A move to the Celtics is arguably his best chance of doing so in the very near future.

Say the Celtics part with Brown + one of the younger guys (Hugo or Scheierman, for example); that still leaves Tatum, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser (unless he’s traded) and Neemias Queta. Brad Stevens will still have the $27.7 million TPE, and the NTMLE (non-taxpayer mid-level exception).

Boston would make the trade and then begin reshaping the roster around its new duo.

Very rarely will a team acquire a player of Giannis’ caliber and still be in a position to compete — unless Nico Harrison convinces more NBA teams to hire him — then you can’t rule anything out.

Then we turn to the on-court aspect of it all. A Giannis and Tatum duo would arguably be the best two-man pairing in the NBA right now. Tatum would get more reps working off the ball, attacking off the catch, cut, or post-up.

Giannis would have elite shooting around him at almost every position. The spacing he would enjoy could bring out the best in him. He would also be walking into a locker room that is solely focused on winning. With a coach who holds everyone accountable, regardless of the name on their jersey.

There’s a sizeable list of reasons for this trade to go ahead. These are just a few of them. However, now it’s time to play devil’s advocate.

Why The Celtics Should Avoid A Giannis Trade

Over the last five years, Giannis has played 62.6% of his minutes at the four. The rest have come at the five. Over that same time span, Tatum has spent 55.6% of his minutes at the four.

If you add Giannis, something has to change.

Do you feel comfortable playing Tatum at the three following his Achilles tear? Do you trust Giannis at the 5 for the majority of his minutes?

Can Tatum — or Giannis — accept being the 1B next to another superstar?

These are some of the most important questions the Celtics must feel capable of answering before signing off on any move for a 31-year-old star who will be due a sizeable contract extension upon arriving at the TD Garden.

Neither of those questions comes with an easy answer. Sure, Boston will stagger Giannis and Tatum’s minutes, just as they do with Tatum and Brown — but what about when they’re sharing the floor together, which is obviously the point of all this?

Furthermore, figuring out whether Tatum or Giannis can operate as that 1B guy is something you learn as the season progresses, not based on what gets said during a preseason discussion.

With Tatum and Brown, you have a proven duo. They’ve won a championship together. They know how to operate as part of the same unit, and they have an understanding on the court. The two of them together have experienced consistent success with the franchise.

Giannis is also older than Brown and coming off a season where he suited up for 36 games.

Oh, and did I mention that outside of jamming the ball through the rim, or bulldozing his way into a layup, Giannis’ scoring arsenal is limited? Sure, he’s been working on his mid-rangers and threes over the years, but at this point, he’s still effectively a single-level scorer — that’s a decently sized challenge to contend with.

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Where I’m Landing On All This

I’m in on a trade for Giannis. At the end of the day, you stack talent where possible. If that means swapping a top-10/top-15 guy for a top-5/top-7 guy, then you do it. The gap in talent is wider at the top than you might think.

You figure out the positional side of things later. Tatum can play the three, four or five. Giannis can play the four or five. There’s optionality there that provides scope for innovation.

There’s also the argument that the Jays have run their natural course together. That Brown’s season was enough to prove he deserves the keys to an offense, which is something the Celtics can’t offer him.

Brown has already removed all traces of the Celtics from his social media presence. Boston has the pieces to get a deal done without tearing things down. And both Mazzulla and Stevens are good enough at their jobs to figure out the other moving parts over the coming months.

When speaking to the media after the Celtics’ season came to an abrupt end, Stevens noted how he would like to see more dunks and rim pressure, and adding Giannis is a surefire way to inject that into the roster.

“I think that the 3-pointer after dunks and free throws, or layups and free throws — if it's not a contested layup by a giant and you're a little guy — an open kickout 3 is a good shot,” Stevens said. “And those are the ones we would like to get….With more options, we can help him and help this team get the best possible looks, and it may very well be a wide open 3, if that's what you're certainly able to generate because you can't get the other stuff.”

Losing Brown would suck. He’s a fan-favorite for a reason. However, the NBA is a business — we hear it all the time — and right now, the hottest commodity on the market is a viable target for the Celtics, so it makes sense that they’re in the mix.

The Potential Downside Of This “Pursuit”

If the Celtics are truly in on a Giannis trade, and Brown is being floated in talks, it may lead to the end of his tenure in Boston, regardless of whether a deal is made.

It’s one thing to float Brown in these types of discussions when he’s an upcoming young wing, or is viewed as an elite second option entering his prime. It’s another to do so after a season where he consistently hovered around the top-5 of MVP voting during the regular season.

You can be the ultimate professional, but at some point, you’ve got to read the room.

This is Tatum’s team.

Brown will always be the name Boston is willing to part ways with when the opportunity for a perceived upgrade arises.

“I have heard Boston is shopping people around a lot right now,” Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor recently said. “That Boston is making calls, Boston is open to trading anybody besides Jayson Tatum.

So, if Stevens has communicated to Brown that he is indeed part of these trade talks, this may be the end of the Jays, one way or another. How that would look sans Giannis is a concern for another day.

Right now, the focus should be on getting this deal over the line. Because the moment Brad picked up that phone (assuming he did), there’s a chance that everything changed.

Baylor Scheierman was selected with the 30th pick in 2024.

Hugo Gonzalez came off the board at No. 28 last summer.

So, there’s reason for us to be somewhat optimistic that Brad can go three-for-three in identifying talent that can provide some sort of impact during their rookie year, while also boasting developmental upside.

Being over here in the UK, keeping up with the draft cycle is difficult. This year was the first time I had full access to March Madness (thank you very much, Disney+). However, with my focus being on the Celtics, I find myself watching those college games as a fan, rather than whipping out the notebook and trying to analyze things.

As such, this is the time of year when I start leaning on the experts. Sure, I’ll do some deep dives here and there, especially once the Celtics have made their pick, but there’s a growing number of talent-evaluating content creators who are deep within the weeds with the draft.

Interestingly, I came across one of those creators earlier this week — a creator I hadn’t encountered before. I’m becoming a big fan of Substack Notes, so when scrolling on there, I saw recommending , who runs the 105 Hoops Substack, and decided to check out his work.

Safe to say, I thought it was excellently done.

A couple of DM messages later, and Lester agreed to help me kick off this year’s draft coverage in style.

What follows is a short Q & A between myself and Lester, focusing on the upcoming draft, potential targets, and the type of talents we think the Celtics should be targeting.

We broke these questions down into two per position.

Guards

Adam: The Celtics are in need of some additional point guard depth this summer. The logical move for them is to explore the free agency and trade markets for an upgrade. However, if they can’t find what they’re looking for, due to fit or price, is there anyone who could be available around the 27th pick that could slot into the rotation and be a ready-made contributor?

Lester: If Boston is looking at guards around 27, I do not think they should be chasing the flashiest name. They need someone who can function in their system, make quick decisions, defend well enough to stay on the floor, and not mess up the spacing.

The name I keep coming back to is Bennett Stirtz.

He may not be the most explosive guard in the class, but he knows how to play. He can shoot it, make reads, play with pace, and keep the ball moving. For Boston, that matters. Mazzulla’s system is not built for a young guard to come in and dominate the ball. You must process fast, move it, and punish mistakes. Stirtz can do that.

Adam: Awesome. Stirtz is a new name for me; I’ll add him to my list of guys to watch, and, time allowing, will try to go deeper on him before the draft. But, for argument’s sake, let’s assume he’s off the board by the time the Celtics are on the clock…Do you have another guy in mind?

Meleek Thomas is another one I would watch. He is more of a scoring guard than a pure point, but he can create off the bounce and give you some real shot-making. The question with him is how quickly he can make simple reads and defend well enough to earn trust.

Adam: Ok, let’s change gears for a minute… During his end-of-season press conference, Brad Stevens hinted at the need for additional rim pressure. Can you think of a guard who could potentially slot into the rotation and fill that need…Either as a consistent drive-and-dish guy, or a reliable interior scorer off the dribble? Ideally, they would need to be at least a two-level scorer to ensure they can fit within Mazzulla’s system.

Lester: If we are talking specifically about Brad Stevens mentioning rim pressure, then Christian Anderson is probably the better fit for that part of the conversation. He brings more burst. He can get into the paint, collapse a defense, and create some drive-and-kick opportunities. That is something Boston could use, especially off the bench.

So, if I am Boston, I look at it like this:

• Bennett Stirtz is the safest guard if you want someone who can be trusted early.

• Christian Anderson is the best rim-pressure choice.

• Meleek Thomas gives you the most scoring upside if he falls.

If the Celtics are trying to find a guard who can help right away, I would lean Stirtz. If they are trying to specifically solve the rim-pressure issue, I would lean Anderson.

Wings

Boston’s wing rotation is both deep and talented. I’m not sold that adding another rookie wing would be the right move, especially as the rookie would face an uphill battle to crack the Celtics rotation.

However, we’ve all cracked jokes about Brad Stevens’ wing factory over the past year, so who knows… With multiple players waiting on the Celtics to make a decision over their team options, things can quickly change.

Adam: Similar to the guard position, the Celtics could need someone who is ready and capable of providing reliable minutes in a pinch. Does anyone come to mind?

Lester: I am not sure a wing should be the priority for Boston unless the value is too good to pass up. And even then, you have two All-NBA players at that position, so you would stunt the growth of a young wing. They already have a lot of bodies on the wing, and for a rookie to crack that rotation, he has to bring something specific. He cannot just be a “good prospect.” He has to either shoot it, defend, process, or bring real positional versatility.

Adam: I agree.

Lester: The names I would look at are Alex Karaban, Joshua Jefferson, & Isaiah Evans

Karaban makes a lot of sense because he knows how to play & he is a name Celtics fan can identify with due to his playing days at UConn. He spaces the floor, cuts, moves the ball, and does not need a lot of touches. That matters on a team like Boston. He is not a lockdown defender, but he is usually in the right spots and understands how to play within structure

Adam: Same sketch as with the guards; let’s assume Karaban is off the table. Is there another name that stands out to you as a potentially good fit on the wing, assuming Boston makes a tough call with Jordan Walsh or Ron Harper Jr.

Lester: Joshua Jefferson might be the best connector forward in that range. He is strong, physical, can pass, rebound, defend multiple spots, and play a low-maintenance role. He may not be a true 3-and-D wing, but he gives Boston some of the glue stuff that wins games.

Adam: As with most coaches, defense is the quickest way to earn playing time under Joe Mazzulla. Yet, a one-dimensional defender would struggle to command a consistent role in the rotation - which is why I think Jordan Walsh was in and out of the lineup last season. Are there any prototypical 3-and-D wings that could be hovering around Boston’s 27th pick range, and if so, would they need some developmental time in Maine or be good to go?

Lester: Isaiah Evans is probably the better 3-and-D upside swing. He has size, shot-making, and length. I would not say he is fully ready defensively on day one, but the tools are there.

Adam: So, if for some reason the Celtics found themselves selecting a wing on draft night, what order would you put these guys in?

Lester: If Boston wants someone who could give minutes in a pinch, I would look at Karaban or Jefferson.

If they want more of a 3-and-D upside play, I would look at Evans.

But I would not force a wing at 27. The player would have to clearly be the best value on the board.

Bigs

Adam: In an ideal world, Morez Johnson Jr would fall to 27, and the Celtics would have a no-brainer draft pick. We don’t live in an ideal world, though. I think the center rotation is among the biggest needs for the Celtics to address this summer, and while I doubt they find an upgrade over Neemias Queta this late in the draft.

I do wonder whether they can stumble across a viable big to soak up some playing time behind Luka Garza as a 3-string guy with a view to them developing into a key rotation member down the line...Who do you think could be in that range?

Lester: This is where I think Boston needs to pay real attention.

Morez Johnson falling to 27 feels unlikely because his game checks too many boxes NBA teams value: motor, physicality, rebounding, defensive versatility, and a body ready to compete early.

For Boston, he makes a lot of sense — he gives them frontcourt toughness, mobile defense, rim pressure as a finisher, and the type of dirty-work impact that fits winning basketball. But if the Celtics are serious about him, they cannot wait at 27; they would have to trade up and get him.

Adam: Figures. I certainly have him listed as my dream draft target, rather than as someone I think the Celtics could actually have a shot at landing if they stood pat at 27.

Anyway…

Since the moment the Celtics’ season ended, I’ve consistently been discussing the need for defensive optionality at the 5. Currently, the Celtics have a duo of drop bigs. Both can play up-to-touch a little, and Garza can hedge and recover if needed.

However, neither possesses the mobility to operate in a true switch 1-through-5 system, nor to play at the level for consistent stretches of games.

Is there someone else who could specifically plug that gap in the rotation?

Lester: Zuby Ejiofor is one of my favorite fits for them. He may not have perfect size for a full-time NBA 5, but he plays hard, rebounds, protects the rim, and has enough mobility to give Boston more defensive options.

He is not just a drop big. He can move his feet, play with force, and cover ground.

Adam: I also know there’s some solid size in this draft. If Mazzulla and Stevens are sold on having more traditional-style bigs, albeit with some interesting skill set variations, who do you think would fit the mold while also being available when the Celtics are on the clock?

Lester: Tarris Reed Jr. is probably the safer traditional center option. Another UConn player that fans can identify with. He gives you size, physicality, screening, rebounding, and some rim protection. I do not see him as a true switch big, but as a third center who can develop behind the rotation, he makes sense.

Also, Henri Veesaar could give them a different look. He has size, touch, and some skill. He is not the same type of defensive-mobility answer, but he is interesting as a developmental frontcourt piece.

The biggest thing for me is this: Boston does not just need another big body. They need defensive optionality. They already have drop bigs. What they need is someone who can play higher, move laterally, switch in spots, protect the rim, and control angles. That is what they lost with Al Horford. It was not just the shooting. It was the defensive IQ, positioning, communication, and ability to keep the defense connected.

Adam: Great minds, man. Great minds.

I’m right there with you on that train of thought!

But let me ask you this: it seems we’re both of the big-man-via-draft mindset for Boston; do you have any sleeper picks?

Lester: Luigi Suigo — Suigo is a worthwhile swing at 27 because the size, touch, passing flashes, and shooting upside are hard to find that late. But for Boston specifically, the question is whether they want a developmental ceiling play or a more ready defensive big.

If the Celtics need immediate playoff rotation help, Suigo may be too raw. If they are willing to invest a year or two, he has the tools to become a valuable modern center.

Adam: How would you list these picks in order of priority for the Celtics?

Lester: Zuby Ejiofor is the most realistic big I would target in that range.

DREAM PICK: Morez Johnson — motor, physicality, rebounding, defensive versatility, and a body ready to compete early

DARK HORSE: Luigi Suigo — long-term frontcourt investment, rather than a day-one rotation big.

Zooming Out

Adam: Ok, let’s zoom back out now. We’ve got a bunch of names here — some of which I need to do my homework on — but I’m intrigued to know how you would position these guys if you were putting together a big board of Boston’s targets on draft night.

Lester: If I had to build a Boston board around pick 27, it would look like this:

1. Bennett Stirtz — safest guard fit

2. Christian Anderson — best rim-pressure guard

3. Zuby Ejiofor — best realistic mobile big fit

4. Tarris Reed Jr. — safest traditional center depth

5. Alex Karaban — safest wing fit

6. Joshua Jefferson — best connector wing/forward

…For Boston, I would not draft just for need. But if the right player is there, they can address a real hole.

If they want trust and maturity, go Stirtz or Karaban.

If they want rim pressure, go Anderson.

If they want frontcourt defense and mobility, go Zuby.

That is where I would be looking.

Wrapping up

I’m really grateful to Lester for sharing his time with me, and helping me get the first installment of draft coverage off the ground. He’s clearly putting in the work when evaluating talent, and I’m sure that by this time next year his Substack will be flying, and I’ll have a hard time nailing him down to do this again.

If you’re into draft content, Lester is worth the subscription.

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Now, I turn this over to you — who do you like in Boston’s range of the draft? Has Lester piqued your interest with a new name?

Let me know in the comments!

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On Sunday, I put out a quick call for questions to help kick off this week in the best way possible.

I always look forward to doing this type of post, as I never know what questions are going to get thrown my way, and it also gives me a feel for where people’s heads are at as we slowly edge towards the official end of the NBA season.

So, let’s jump in!

📬 Kenneth Paul asks: After the all-NBA teams were announced, I was surprised not to see more grumbling from Brown and others about the “waivers” that allowed Doncic and Cunningham to qualify. Was that lawyerly exception always a part of the 65-game rule, and were there any applicants last year?

📢 I’m not 100% on this, but I’m fairly confident that Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham were the first players to receive an exemption since the 65-game rule was implemented. My bigger gripe is what good is the 65-game rule if a precedent has now been set for subverting ineligibility?

Granted, both Doncic and Cunningham had fair arguments as to why they should be included on people’s ballots, yet the door has now been opened for the rules to be “bent” in the coming years. We’re probably going to see one or two names receive an exemption moving forward.

Either you want the 65-game rule, or you don’t. I think it’s a flawed system, and there need to be some tweaks that potentially take context into account, or are built around multiple qualifiers.

📬 Chris Figee asks: I understood from one of your videos that it’s actually attractive for the Celtics to stay under the luxury tax next year as that gives them a lot more room the year after that. Given that free agency group is not overwhelming..shouldn’t we all expect Brad to keep the core intact and make changes around the edges, pursue organic development and use the trade exceptions and not much more ?

📢 I would assume this is from the interview I did with of Third Apron.

“ So what I'm keeping an eye on is, I think they're gonna have to try to make these moves now. And I think, I recall Brad Stevens kinda alluding, ‘We need to get better.’ I don't think he said anything that ‘we're trying to be in a holding pattern.’

They wouldn't be able to actually go that deep into the tax next year if they wait to do these moves next year,” Yossi said. “So that's the challenge. And so you might be thinking, 'Oh, they're mostly running back.' I think they're probably going to be very motivated during this offseason at the trade deadline to make some moves, to make their moves now to get them ready for the following season.”

The attractiveness comes from resetting the repeater tax. Boston would remove the higher-price penalties that come with being subject to the repeater tax, effectively making it cheaper to go into the first or second apron from 2027-28 onward.

In order to do that, Brad Stevens would need to keep the Celtics out of the luxury tax next season — or at least have the team under it by the time that season comes to an end.

However, that doesn’t mean the Celtics won’t seek out upgrades. In fact, using the NTMLE (non-taxpayer mid-level exception) and/or the Anfernee Simons TPE would hard cap the Celtics at the first apron, thus making it somewhat easier to stay under the luxury tax threshold.

In terms of keeping the core intact, I don’t think it’s a necessity to avoid the repeater, but I do think that’s the most likely outcome. It’s going to be very difficult finding an upgrade over Jaylen Brown or Derrick White (I see Jayson Tatum as untouchable). Does that mean there’s no chance of a big swing happening? I don’t think so.

Stevens has proven he’s not afraid to make the tough calls when an opportunity to get better arises — see Marcus Smart being packaged as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade.

Still, the most likely outcome, from where I’m sitting, would be to add a guard in free agency (it’s a decent FA class at the top end) and then either trade for, or draft, a big man, depending on the level of internal confidence surrounding Neemias Queta as the starting five.

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📬 Michael Ouyang asks: One of the things we were missing this season for the first time in a while was a guard that could reasonably match up 1-5, this was a staple of our teams since Smart, then Jrue, and I think that aspect of the defense was a big part of why the Cs were so tough. This season without that element, it seems like it became one of the many flaws in the roster when the playoffs came. Do you think that’s a necessary component to a guard for this Celtics revamp?

📢 There are very few NBA players that are genuinely switchable 1-through-5 on defense. Even fewer of those guys are guards. Having one of those guards on your roster immediately provides versatility and optionality within a defensive system, which of course can be advantageous.

However, if you have multiple defensively versatile wings, along with above league-average defenders at the guard position, you can get by. Look at the New York Knicks this season. Their defense is primarily coming from OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, with Josh Hart splitting his time between the two and three. They’ve leaned on their size at the wing positions to help cover what they’re giving up when Jalen Brunson is on the floor.

There are multiple ways to build a championship-level defense. I view a switchable, defensive-specialist type guard as more of a ceiling raiser than the floor for what constitutes a championship team.

Take Jrue Holiday for example. He raised the ceiling of the Milwaukee Bucks and the Celtics, getting them over the hump to win a championship. Without him, both teams were still contenders; with him, their ceiling rose high enough that there was a larger margin of error.

If we’re talking about potentially locating another Holiday or Smart, then Dyson Daniels should be the priority. The problem is, I don’t see a world where the Atlanta Hawks are parting with him, especially after the impact he had for them last season.

We’re probably undervaluing Derrick White here, too. While he’s not a truly switchable guard, he’s still one of the better defenders at his position. The key to resurfacing that defensive intensity will be repositioning his offensive role closer to the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons than the increased role he had this past one.

So, to answer your question, I wouldn’t say its necessary to have a Jrue-type guard, primarily because they’re so rare — but it sure does help.

📬 Mo asks: What’s your take on why Joe Mazzulla‘s coaching seems to be so much more effective in the regular season than the playoffs, we’ve seen it happen now for a couple years running where the team kind of, I don’t know how to save this without sounding more critical about it than I really am, but doesn’t perform like it should under pressure. We can also see that he’s changing his coaching style somewhat when the playoffs start, is that the problem? Like, we all knew that this team wasn’t a true championship contender this year, but they should’ve been able to put away the 76ers, just like last year they should’ve been able to be more competitive against the Knicks.

📢 It’s a good question, and a hard one to answer.

In both the New York Knicks series last season and the Philadelphia 76ers series this past season, the Celtics had multiple ice-cold shooting nights from deep. For a team that’s built around winning the math game, those shot variance games can be brutal, especially when there’s a handful of them in quick succession.

However…

Even with shot variance, the Celtics attack and score at a high enough clip to keep the numbers steady over a multi-game sample size.

Even in terms of conversion rate, the Celtics hold up once the playoffs begin. There’s a slight dip in 3-point success, but nothing big enough to be a cause for concern. Across the board, they’re a picture of consistency.

The same can be said for their defensive field goal percentage (the opposing teams’ shot conversion rate).

So, I don’t think this is a numbers problem. To me, everything starts with an inability to win on their home court. Dropping three home games in a series is borderline criminal.

Against the Knicks, Boston dropped both of its home games to start the series.

Expecting a team to win a championship when they can’t defend home court is akin to banking on winning the lottery without buying a ticket. You need one to stand a chance of the other.

Then we get to Joe Mazzulla. I think he’s been outcoached in his last two playoff series. Nick Nurse certainly had his number. It’s not that the Celtics didn’t make adjustments; it’s that Nurse was ready for them and had answers. The same can be said about Thibodeau — although when your best player goes down with a torn Achilles, winning playoff games does inevitably get harder.

There are plenty of valid excuses as to why the Celtics have fallen short these past two seasons. Porzingis not being fully healthy, Tatum’s injury, a re-tooling year, the list goes on.

We can also point to Mazzulla’s system and only having one clear-cut approach. There has to be an alternative when the threes aren’t falling. Furthermore, that alternative has to be more than just going away from perimeter-based actions into drive and kick that ultimately result in a three or attacking a closeout.

Brad said it best: “We’d all like to see more dunks.”

Ultimately, I think there’s been an amalgamation of minor issues that have led to the past two playoff exits (with Tatum’s injury being a major one, of course). Boston needs to add more optionality to its rotation on both sides of the floor. Some of that will naturally come via internal development; the rest has to come via free agency and the trade market.

Even then, unless Mazzulla is willing to make some adjustments, that optionality won’t matter. At some point, you have to evolve, and that is the crossroads I envision the Celtics facing this summer.

Today, we’re going to be looking at potential big man targets with the TPE.

However, before we dive in, let’s recap some key information.

Celtics Anfernee Simons TPE = $27.6 million. This is the TPE we will be focusing on throughout this mini-series. It’s also worth noting that teams cannot aggregate salaries on top of a TPE.

So, for example, if Boston had a $20 million TPE and wanted a player who earns $25 million next season, they could not strike a deal involving the TPE and a player for salary matching. Any incoming player’s contract must fit inside the TPE in order for the trade to be legal.

That said, the Celtics could send guys out to reduce the amount of the TPE being used. Going back to the $20 million TPE example, the Celtics could send out Hauser’s $10.8 million salary and then use $9.2 million of the TPE to facilitate the trade.

Now that we’ve covered that, let’s dive in.

Naz Reid

2026-27 salary: $23.2 million. Contract details: five years, $125 million, final year is a player option. Three guaranteed years remaining.

For the past three years, Naz Reid has been a perennial Sixth Man of the Year candidate, winning the award in 2024, finishing in the top-5 in 2025 and top-4 this past season. He’s earned the opportunity to step into a starting role outside of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Reid feels like the ideal fit for the retooling Celtics. He’s 26, so he fits perfectly with the timeline. He’s athletic, can run the floor, defend the rim, deter shots, set screens, operate above the rim and most importantly, can knock down threes on decent volume.

There’s a lot to like about the idea of Reid in Boston. He solves a ton of issues with the big man rotation. Reid isn’t a truly switchable five, but you can have him play up-to-touch, operating at the level of the screen, ready to hedge, show and recover, or contain the ball-handler. He’s smart, knows when to tag, when to rotate and when to stay home. And, he can play a standard drop coverage with solid mobility.

Unfortunately, it’s hard to see how Boston could pry him out of Minnesota. The Timberwolves aren’t going to hand over the best bench big in the NBA for no reason. Worse still, the Celtics don’t have what the Timberwolves need this summer.

According to Chris Hine, who covers the Timberwolves for The Minnesota Star Tribune, Chris Finch’s team is in need of a genuine point guard.

“The way this season played out felt like it underscored the need for the Wolves to find a permanent solution at point guard alongside Edwards for multiple reasons,” Hine explained. “Specifically, the Wolves might have to find someone with a more traditional point guard mentality to get everyone involved, like Conley does…A more traditional point guard would free up Edwards to work off ball and shoot more threes, one of his superpowers.”

Boston doesn’t have a genuine point guard to offer up. In fact, they need to find one of their own this summer.

So, unless the Celtics can find a way of facilitating a deal that sends a guard to Minnesota, with Reid heading to Boston, and the TPE playing a role in making everything work, we’re unlikely to see the 2024 Sixth Man of the Year strutting his stuff for the Celtics next season.

Myles Turner

2026-27 salary: $26.5 million. Contract details: four years, $108.8 million, final year is a player option. Two guaranteed years remaining.

If you’re a Celtics fan, it’s borderline impossible to avoid the speculation regarding a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. I’ve also seen some trade ideas that would involve bringing in Myles Turner via the TPE as a secondary part of a deal that brings Giannis to Boston.

However, Turner to Boston isn’t mutually exclusive to Giannis landing in Boston. You can get Turner without adding Giannis.

For that reason, I have Turner on my list of TPE targets. In fact, if or when Giannis is moved, I think he becomes the next domino to fall for the Milwaukee Bucks. Brad Stevens could swoop in to take him off Milwaukee’s hands, potentially gifting them a sizeable TPE of their own to use closer to the trade deadline, or even next summer.

Turner would bring size, shot blocking, rim deterrence and perimeter spacing to the Celtics starting five. He fits with how Mazzulla likes his team to play. The downside is that Turner isn’t a highly effective interior scorer, which, for his size, can be frustrating.

Nevertheless, if the goal is to generate more rim attempts, having a floor-spacing five should open up the floor enough for Boston’s slashers, drivers and cutters. You don’t need a hulking big man taking up some interior space. Furthermore, you can also space vertically with Turner on the roll when he does venture into the restricted area.

Turner could be a strong addition to Boston’s rotation next season. He would slide Neemias Queta down to a bench role and ensure the entire big man rotation is stronger heading into the new campaign.

I wouldn’t be against a move for Turner, depending on what the Bucks were asking for in return. You’ve got to think they’d be willing to move him with little resistance, especially if Giannis is already out of the picture. The hope is that they don’t demand someone like Hugo Gonzalez or Baylor Scheierman as a makeweight in the deal.

Daniel Gafford

2026-27 salary: $17.2 million. Contract details: three years, $54.3 million; there is no player option. All three years are fully guaranteed.

Daniel Gafford has been floated in trade rumors for about a year now, if not longer. He’s entering into the first year of a three-year contract extension, so he’s cost-controlled. At 27-years-old, Gafford fits the younger timeline the Celtics are building to.

Unlike Reid and Turner, Gafford doesn’t offer any perimeter scoring. He’s a rim-runner in every sense of the word. If Stevens wants more rim pressure, dunks and interior play, Gafford could be the guy to help bring that vision to life.

Gafford would be a dream pairing with Jayson Tatum, who likes to throw the rock anywhere in the vicinity of the rim, so a lob threat big man can finish off the play. The two of them together, working on slip screen actions, would be some pretty basketball to watch.

Another plus of adding Gafford is his interior defense. He’s highly impactful in terms of rim protection, rim deterrence, navigating screens and operating as a helper. Mazzulla could use him as a drop defender, weakside helper, or container when guarding PnR’s.

If the Celtics could find a way to add Gafford, they’d be adding a solid interior scorer and defender. However, they’d need to work with him on his screening, which is a key part of Mazzulla’s system, and arguably one of the weakest parts of his game. Still, we saw Neemy improve as a screener last season, so it’s not outside the realm of possibility that Gafford would too.

I’m not sure what the Mavericks would be looking for in a Gafford trade, or whether the Celtics would have the pieces to make a deal enticing. Yet, armed with their TPE I wouldn’t be upset if it emerged Stevens had at least picked up the phone.

Nic Claxton

2026-27 salary: $23.3 million. Contract details: four years, $97 million; there is no player option. Two years remaining.

If Gafford isn’t your cup of tea, but you are interested in a rim-runner, then maybe Nic Claxton is someone you would prefer. He’s another above-the-rim player who can offer interior scoring and rim protection. Notably, Claxton is also coming off his best season for creation, averaging 3.7 dimes per night.

Depending on how the Nets decide to continue with their current rebuilding efforts, Claxton may be seen as a potential trade chip to bring back additional assets and younger players. He’s already 27, which arguably puts him outside of Brooklyn’s current timeline.

The bigger question is, who, or what, would the Celtics need to give up in order to entice the Nets to the negotiating table? At first glance, it doesn’t seem like the Celtics have much that Brooklyn would want outside of picks and maybe Gonzalez.

I wouldn’t trade Hugo.

Claxton would be a solid addition. He’d instantly be the starting big on the roster and would fill a similar role to what Robert Williams did when healthy. Therefore, it’s fair to assume that Tatum would love to play with him, and Jaylen Brown would find ways of maximizing the vertical spacing Claxton would bring.

It would be interesting to see how Mazzulla used him on defense, though. Because while Claxton is a solid shot blocker, opposing teams rarely look concerned with attacking the paint when he’s anchoring the restricted area. That lack of rim deterrence would certainly lead to some interesting questions Mazzulla would need to answer.

Wendell Carter Jr.

2026-27 salary: $18.1 million. Contract details: three years, $58.6 million; there is a team option for the final year.

Wendell Carter brings something different to the other names on this list. He’s a high-quality interior defender. In fact, I’d argue that his best asset.

Carter will get you points. He averaged 11.9 per game in his career. He’ll get you rebounds, too. Yet, it’s the work he does in locking down the interior that would have the biggest impact for the Celtics.

I’m still a stout believer that Boston’s identity remains that of a hard-nosed defensive team, three-point volume be damned. Adding a lockdown interior presence wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world. However, against some of the top-tier talents in the league, WCJ would be just as susceptible, and that’s where his limited offensive game would become an issue.

I’m not one for setting the bar at the level of being able to shut down Wembanyama or SGA. It’s ridiculous to judge players on their ability to contain or dominate the top 1% of the league. However, if you’re getting scored on consistently, there has to be something else you’re bringing on the offensive side of the floor.

WCJ is a consistent threat around the rim. If the Celtics found ways to unlock him on the low block, then his two-way impact is clearly viable. Don’t let his long mid-range work fool you, though; those shooting numbers are on small sample sizes - less than one shot per game.

Overall, if the Celtics value interior defense and a reliable inside scoring presence WCJ could make some sense. If they’re looking for above-the-rim play or floor spacing, they’ll need to look elsewhere.

Oh, and like pretty much every name on this list, I’m not sure Orlando would be willing to do business, or what the Celtics would have to part with to get a deal over the line. Still, WCJ is an intriguing option that might need some deeper thought.

Side Note

Onyeka Okongwu remains my dream target. He’s also a potential TPE trade target. However, I’ve left him off this list because i view him as unattainable — even more so than Naz Reid, who I think is a super long shot.

Ranking this list

1 - Naz Reid (although, i must stress, incredibly unlikely)

2- Daniel Gafford

3 - Myles Turner

4 - WCJ

5 - Nic Claxton

Similar to the Wings, there isn’t a lot of younger talent hitting the free agency market, so we will be widening our search.

Let’s dive in.

Robert Williams

The Timelord.

I would not be mad at a reunion with Rob Williams. We already know what he can bring to the table in terms of rim-protection, rim deterrence, lob threat and as a passing hub on the perimeter or the block.

The problem, as it always has been, is that Rob comes with risk.

Since Brad Stevens traded Rob to the Portland Trail Blazers, he’s suited up for a total of 85 games. That means he’s missed 161 games over three seasons. For those of you who prefer percentages, he’s played in 34.6% of Portland’s games since being on the roster.

You can’t build a contending team when a key member of the rotation will miss almost two-thirds of the season.

We’ve lived through this.

We know how it goes.

Rob is the NBA version of hotel WiFi — incredible when it works, unavailable when you need it most.

I get that Rob is coming off a 59-game season with Portland. And I get that he’d likely be coming off the bench. However, that doesn’t change much. He played 61 games in 2021-22, only to spend most of 2022-23 on the injury report.

Getting Rob to a point where he’s healthy and playing his best basketball has long been a pipedream. I, for one, do not want to relive that now that we’re talking about Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s prime.

It would be great from a nostalgia point of view. I’m also sure Tatum would love it. If the Celtics are going to chase a rim-runner, I’d much rather them look elsewhere, even if that means doing so in the trade market.

Mitchell Robinson

Mitchell Robinson is another big man who stands out as a potential defensive upgrade at the five. However, he’s had similar availability problems over the past three seasons, playing in 108 games. That means he’s missed 138 of the Knicks' games over the past three seasons, which is a 43.9% availability.

Like Rob, Robinson has been far more available this season, playing in 60 games and finishing in the top-8 of Sixth Man of the Year voting. If we were looking at this season in a vacuum, I’d argue that he’d be a solid pickup. There would also be the added bonus of slightly weakening the New York Knicks.

We’re not looking at this season in a vacuum, though.

The fact remains that Robinson has spent more than half of the last three seasons on the injury report. His impact, while clear, comes in flashes, because his availability does too.

I’d also argue that while Robinson is the better player, there’s significant crossover between his and Neemias Queta’s skillset. Both are big bodies who can run the floor, control the glass and defend the rim. The only difference is that Queta is cheaper and doesn’t come with a sizeable injury history.

Robinson will likely enter the offseason looking for a deal at, or near, the mid-level exception. If the Knicks get to the NBA Finals or win the whole thing, he might have a shot at getting something in that region. Hopefully, that paycheque doesn’t come from Boston.

Zach Collins

Zach Collins is interesting. He didn’t play much this season due to a toe injury. He’s also had some issues with health throughout his career, but in the three years leading to this season, he broke 60 games each time.

At 28 years old, Collins would fit with Boston’s current timeline. He’s capable of operating as a starter or bench big. He also brings a balanced approach on the offensive end.

Collins is a reliable option. He can plug gaps and play within a defined role. Yet, the gap between Collins and Luka Garza may not be large enough to justify adding him to the roster this summer. We know what we’re getting with Garza: elite screening, reliable floor spacing and solid work on the offensive glass.

If Collins isn’t a clear-cut better option, I don’t see the value in bringing him in. If Brad Stevens is going to lean on a “big man by committee” approach, then a switchable big man would hold more value to round out the rotation.

Nevertheless, I could be sold on Collins as a buy-low option if other avenues don’t pan out. Again, though, at that point, I’d much rather see the Celtics turn to the trade market and look for a clear-cut upgrade — where that would come from is a conversation for a different day.

Andre Drummond

Andre Drummond had a solid series against the Celtics during the postseason. He played his role like the veteran he is, providing physicality, toughness and his usual brand of rebounding.

Drummond is an old-school big man. He’s at his best running drop defense, crashing the glass and getting buckets via putbacks. I do like that he’s trying to expand his game into the corners, but he’s not at a level where he could thrive in Boston’s five-out offense.

On defense, Drummond doesn’t give the Celtics anything different. He’s older, slower-footed and can be a target for opposing offenses. On offense, though, Drummond can open things up with his screening, give you extra possessions with his rebounding, and isn’t awful at running some dribble hand-off actions.

Again, though, is Drummond better than Garza? Doesn’t Garza do most of what Drummond does, but with more youthful energy?

A few years ago, when rebounding was somewhat of an issue for the Celtics, I would have jumped at adding Drummond. Now? I wouldn’t be mad, but i’d certainly be disappointed.

In truth, this is a weak free agency class for bigs, and if Brad is intent on shopping in this aisle, then tradeoffs will have to be made. At least Drummond would bring some additional physicality and size to the front court.

Nick Richards

Arguably the best option on the free agency market.

Nick Richards played in 48 games this season, split between the Phoenix Suns and the Chicago Bulls. When on the floor, he looked like a reliable backup big. However, he’s not someone I would class as a true upgrade over Queta. In fact, I’d argue that Queta is as good, if not better.

At that point, we’re back to the question of whether adding Richards would move the needle. Sure, he gives you some additional size, rebounding and interior scoring, but isn’t the goal to get closer to a championship?

Last summer, I was incredibly low on Queta’s ability to rise to the occasion as Boston’s starting big man. I was wrong. Not only did he meet the challenge, but he also raised the bar of expectations. Now, any new big man will have to clear that bar — assuming the Celtics move to fill the starting role and slide Queta onto the bench.

Either way, Richards doesn’t meet that requirement, not for me at least. He’s a “nice to have,” not a “we can’t miss this opportunity.”

Then we have the question of: “Do we worry that the Los Angeles Lakers nixed a trade for him due to a failed medical?” Unfortunately, that’s a question mark that will likely follow him around for the rest of his career, fairly or unfairly.

Richards is coming to the end of his three-year $15 million deal, earning $5 million per season. I can’t see him earning much more than that on his next contract either. So, if the Celtics are looking for depth, rather than an upgrade, he could be a cost-effective option.

However, judging by what we saw in the playoffs, searching out an upgrade should be the priority; it’s just unlikely to happen in the free agency market. Which is why I think they should sign a free-agent guard and then use their TPE to address the center position.

With that in mind, we’ll be looking at potential TPE targets by position over the next week.

Earlier today, I chopped it up with former Boston Celtics player (and player development coach) Evan Turner.

We spoke about Jaylen Brown’s “favorite season” comments, his upcoming extension eligibility and whether the Celtics need to make a trade for Giannis. I’ll be honest, I also wanted Evan’s take on whether Jalen Brunson is a better Knick than Carmelo Anthony — mainly because I loved watching Melo, and i’ve seen the debate happening within Knicks circles. In fact, I’m sure I saw write about it recently…

Evan and I wrapped up with some Danhausen talk, just to keep things light!

So, we’re widening the search.

Before we get started, I will caveat this by noting that the wing position is the deepest area of Boston’s current roster. I don’t see the need to add another body at the three or four. However, we’re working through free agents at each position, so here we are...

Let’s jump in.

John Collins

The Celtics first began showing interest in John Collins back in 2021. Nothing came of the interest, and he ultimately spent a further two seasons with the Atlanta Hawks before heading to the Utah Jazz and the LA Clippers.

Collins gives the Celtics two key things: athleticism and multi-level scoring. He can finish at the rim, shot 41% from deep this past season, and has a reliable mid-range game when needed.

Despite a down year on the glass in Los Angeles, Collins is a proven commodity on the glass and isn’t a target on defense.

You know what else Collins does? Dunk. He dunks. A lot. Sounds like something Brad Stevens might like!

Collins is entering free agency after earning $25 million last season. I can’t see him commanding that type of payday again, especially after he was a net-negative for the Clippers this season — they were a -4.6 per 100 with him on the floor.

It’s fair to say that at this point, Collins would be an instant upgrade over Boston’s current backup wings. However, Hugo Gonzalez has a higher upside, and for me, that means he should be getting a considerable amount of playing time next season — as should Baylor Scheierman.

Collins would provide a scoring boost, but in turn, he would eat up the full MLE while the Celtics are still short in the guard and big man departments. I wouldn’t be opposed to bringing him in; however, I’d argue that it would be a misuse of resources. Brad Stevens doesn’t strike me as the wasteful type.

LeBron James

Lol.

I can not see LeBron James wanting to come to Boston. I also can’t see Celtics fans welcoming him in Boston either.

Yet, for some reason, there’s been chatter that the Celtics, along with every other contender, are a potential landing spot for the soon-to-be 42-year-old. Hard pass.

“I can’t think of a player I want less than LeBron James on the Celtics. The show’s goat could be here in Boston. It would make me sick. I wouldn’t be able to root for the Celtics for a full year. I wouldn’t be able to do it.” — This was a discussion from the Jones & Keefe show on WWEI earlier this week.

I couldn’t agree more.

I see no value in adding LeBron James to this roster. I want the Celtics to get younger, more explosive, and to have a diverse approach on both sides of the floor. Adding 42-year-olds, even if their name is LeBron, doesn’t fix those issues. All it would be doing is kicking the can down the road.

I’ll be honest. I added this one in for comedic value. That’s how funny I find the notion of LeBron joining Boston. It would be like when Rita compelled Tommy to become the Green Ranger…

Rui Hachimura

Another Laker…

Hachimura could fit the Celtics system under Joe Mazzulla. He’s coming off a season where he shot 44% from deep, 53% from the mid-range and a middle-of-the-road 66% at the rim.

He’s a modern-day wing who can guard multiple positions, knock down shots and not take touches away from guys around him (he was 8th on the Lakers for touches per game during the regular season, averaging 30.3).

Hachimura earned $17 million this season. Therefore, it stands to reason that he could be looking for a payrise after impressing under JJ Redick.

However, I do find myself asking whether he would be open to taking the MLE to sign with the Celtics. He would provide size, scoring and versatility off the bench behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Again, I’m not sold on the notion of adding a wing in free agency, but if that is the pathway Stevens chooses to take, Hachiumura could be a solid target. According to Basketball Index, Hachimura has proven highly effective when working as a switch defender, which is an area the Celtics could certainly improve.

I alluded to this at the top of this section, but allow me to share his efficency metrics, too.

In all honesty, Hachimura will likely re-sign with the Lakers. That’s the smart play from their side, and he doesn’t have to uproot his life. If he does end up on the free agent market, and the Celtics decide they want an upgrade off the bench, he’s someone I would certainly take a closer look at.

Guerschon Yabusele

If I’m the Celtics, and I want to add a wing, I’m probably shopping in the bargain bin. Fortunately, there’s precisely where I’d expect to find Yabusele this summer. After a stellar return season with the Philadelphia 76ers, Yabusele struggled this season.

Joining the New York Knicks didn’t work out the way we expected. He did fare better with the Chicago Bulls, averaging 10.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 26 games.

Perhaps a return to where his NBA journey began could be what he needs to get back on track. Yabu isn’t going to massively move the needle, but he’s got plenty of experience and is clearly talented.

It’s worth noting, though, that multiple international teams appear to be showing interest in Yabu, and he may choose to leave the NBA in order to find a larger role elsewhere.

According to Sportando, Dubai BC is interested in adding Yabu to its roster. Hapoel Tel Aviv would undoubtedly be willing to re-ignite their pursuit of him, too, assuming he made his desire to leave the NBA clear.

I do wonder whether Yabu is the type of player who needs a sizeable role to be effective. The Sixers had a string of injury issues during his time with them, leading to more playing time than expected. Then, with the Knicks, he was cast as a role player and struggled. Once in Chicago, the minutes started flowing, and so did the production.

The Celtics don’t need a backup who thrives under those circumstances. If Boston does move for a wing (that isn’t costing the MLE), they’ve got to be comfortable in the unknown.

It’s called the stay ready group for a reason.

Marvin Bagley

The final name on this list (which has been nowhere near as enticing as the guard list on Monday).

Bagley has become a prototypical journeyman in the NBA. This past season, he split his time between the Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks. In his 8 seasons in the league, he’s suited up for 5 teams, 6 if you count his two separate spells with the Wizards individually.

The upside of acquiring a journeyman is that they’re accustomed to acclimating to new processes, systems and teammates. The downside is that they’re journeymen for a reason.

Nevertheless, Bagley is coming off a solid season where he averaged 10.5 points and 6.1 rebounds across 60 regular-season games. He’s not much of a perimeter shooter, though, averaging 0.9 attempts from deep this past season. Because of that, I’m not sure how enticing he would be for the Celtics.

The only upside to adding Bagley would be that he’d give the Celtics another body who pressures the rim and operates in or around the restricted area. Of course, the downside to that is his limited perimeter shooting would hurt the overall spacing.

I’d much rather add slashers who can shoot, rather than an interior-only scorer who bounces from team to team.

I added Bagley here because he’d be cheap, fill a gap and provide NBA experience if the Celtics found themselves in a pinch. In no way do I think he’d be a wise pickup.

It’s slim pickings

…In terms of free agent wings this summer.

Thankfully, the Celtics shouldn’t be in the market for anyone at either wing position.

Next up on our list is the big men.

I was joined by Yossi Gozlan of for today’s Celtics Chronicle podcast. Yossi is an NBA cap expert and does a great job of breaking down the CBA, roster moves, and team construction over on his Substack!

In today’s episode, we dove into Boston’s current cap situation, why this summer is key to improving the roster, and how both the TPE and MLE can play a role in Brad Stevens’ moves. Yossi broke down the restrictions that come with both of those exceptions, along with the reasoning why this summer is so important for the Celtics.

We also touched on the numerous players who are waiting on Boston’s decision whether to pick up their team option or not, and different ways the Celtics could piece together trade packages in search of upgrades.

If you prefer to watch your podcasts, the episode is also live on YouTube.

If you’re a fan of salary cap analysis and roster construction, Yossi’s Substack would be a great addition to your weekly reading!